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bebepac · 2 years ago

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Garden Party Photo Op

I am participating in @choicesflashfics prompt “ Say that again.... I don’t think I heard you right the first time which will appear in bold

I am also participating in @choiceschallenge-may2023 prompt for vacation.

Without further Ado and it’s been a long time coming since the last update on this series The Life of Riley Book 2: This is chapter 8 in this series.

This chapter also contains a companion chapter in Heroes and Villians called Arch Nemesis

The Book: TRR

The Pairings: Liam x Riley

Rating: PG

Warnings: Adult Language

Word Count: 2428

Mood Music Monday Submisson: "When You Believe" by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey

Summary: Riley attends a garden party with a challenge involved to see who will be crowned Cordonia’s Most Photogenic Couple, the prize a weekend vacation to Greece.

Original Post: 05/14/23 at 7:14PM EST.

A/N: As mentioned any chapter of Life of Riley carrying this callsign

will have a companion chapter in Heroes and Villains. The chapters will be similar in plot, but different subjects and perpectives will be focused on, the two chapters together tell a complete story from different vantage points.

AN2: I hadn’t planned on updating LOR yet, but I did get a request from the lovely @queenwalton as she is a fan of this story line, and it’s a late birthday gift. So happy belated birthday friend, late but I made it. LOL.

She smiled when she woke up, stretching out her body while still nestled in the soft plush covers and mattress that felt like she was sleeping on clouds. Opening her eyes, she glanced around the ornately decorated room. Waking up there every morning, always felt like she was in a dream. She jumped up, from her bed running over to the balcony, throwing open the doors, as if she expected the gardens below not to be visible.

But it was, every single morning. She had been in Cordonia a little more than three weeks; the ending of the second week at the palace where she was participating in Prince Liam’s social season. She was living her own Cinderella story thanks to the crown prince of Cordonia Liam Rys, who after spending the night with her in New York, asked her to come visit him in Cordonia for a week, and then asked her to stay. Now this was her life.

Balls and garden parties, and vying for the hand of a Prince that honestly had already made her life different, and she hadn’t even said the words “I do” yet.

Riley Brooks was not the only one living their own Cinderella story that had Liam to thank. A young Nicolas Karahalios had everything he owned packed in a duffel bag slung over his shoulder and was standing at the palace gates waiting for entry to live at the palace for the duration of his training. This was different. Previously he was only visiting the palace for training, now he would be actually staying on site.

“State your full name, and what your business is at the palace.”

“Karahalios, Nicolas A. I’m beginning level two training for the Kingsguard.”

The sentry took out a clip board and scrolled through the names. Nico sighed in relief when the guard picked up a pen and checked his name off the list.

“You're early. Head through those double doors there to take your photo for your level two identification, and from there, you’ll go to uniforms for your cadet training attire.”

“Thank you.”

“Good luck, kid.” The guard nodded to him, opening the gate.

“Thank you, Sir!” Nico slid the strap of his bag up higher on his shoulder and stood in amazement as the palace gates opened for him. He took a deep breath and stepped forward.

Nico was officially one step closer to becoming a part of the KingsGuard. Nico stood tall in front of the wall with the Cordonian Crest

to take his photograph for his badge.

“Look straight ahead.” The person instructed him. Nico smiled.

“Don’t smile in this photo.”

“Oh, sorry.”

Nico quickly made his face serious and level once more.

“Your badge will be ready in a few minutes. Since you were the first one here, it won’t be so long, you can go to uniforms and get settled in, in the cadet dorm, and don’t look so shell shocked. You made it this far.”

“Thank you sir.”

When Nico finally made it to the cadet dorms, he finally decided to call his mother.

“I made it mama! I’m the first one here.”

He panned his phone around the room. The first side of the room housed the bunks for sleeping, the other side had furniture, desks, and a huge wide screen television.

“This is nicer than where you were previously sharing an apartment.”

“And Mama, when I become a guard, I’ll have my own quarters here, in the palace.”

“You can do it Nico. I know you can. Thank you for the money you’ve been sending us. I was able to get Athena a beautiful dress for graduation.”

“You don’t have to thank me for that, Mama. It’s what I’m supposed to do. I’ll be able to take care of you someday.”

“You already do that Nico. I’m proud of you.”

“Thank you Mama. I’ve got to go now , some of the other cadets are here now.”

“And you can't be on the phone with your mother, I understand.” She chuckled softly.

“It's not that. I love you mama.”

“Go make friends. I love you too, my sweet little Dianooúmenos." (Egghead)

Nico laughed,

"Goodbye Mama." disconnecting the call.

His mother didn’t realize this was serious, that no one would really be making friends. People wanted positions in the guard, and everyone had legacy advantages but him. He was considered to be the outsider that didn’t belong;

the only one who didn’t treat him that way was Demitri who preferred to be called Dima for short. Dima was the closest person to a friend he had of the cadets. Nico had already claimed a top bunk for himself. Dima decided on the one next to him. Nico worked twice as hard as the others, and Dima was at his heels.

After Nico had unpacked, he changed into his workout clothes.

“What are you about to do?”

“Take a run around the wall.” (The Palace perimeter)

“Want company?”

“Sure.”

As they walked out of the dormitory room, Dima looked at him.

“You know, you’re not the only one with something to prove, Nico.”

“Say that again... I don’t think I heard you right the first time.”

“It’s easy to ride on someone’s coattails, but making your own path is a lot more difficult. More people should try it. You and I are really more alike than we are different, you know.”

“Good to know.”

Riley

“Come in Maxwell!” Riley said when she heard his knock.

Maxwell smiled as he walked through the door.

“You know, we have to stop meeting this way.”

Maxwell laughed but the door remained open for Bertrand to walk through. Riley tried to hide her annoyance.

“Yes Bertrand, what did I do wrong now?”

He looked her over.

“Nothing that I can tell as of yet, but you did just wake up, which already means you have a late start.”

“Still getting used to the time difference.”

“That didn’t matter last night when you were at the dive bar drinking with Drake Walker acting like you’re still a college student.”

“You’re acting like Maxwell wasn’t there too.”

“Little Blossom! Way to throw me under the bus!”

“I feel like I'm the only one taking this whole arrangement seriously, keeping you two in check is like herding cats.”

“Meow.”

Maxwell chuckled.

“Do not encourage her Maxwell.”

“Don’t encourage me Maxwell. You know how that antagonizes him.” Riley imitated Bertrand’s voice. Bertrand eyed her, shaking his head.

“Today’s itinerary is simple. You will be having lunch in the garden. All suitors must wear white dresses for the suitor photo shoot.”

“Good thing I’m not surfing the crimson wave this week.”

“The crimson what? Lady Riley if you are referring to feminine concerns…”

“Or the monthly monster.”

“RAWR!!!!!!” Maxwell yelled, causing the both of them to break out into fits of giggles.

“You two!!! Stop it! I mean it.”

Maxwell cleared his throat.

“We are very sensitive to those types of things, right Bertrand? It’s a part of life women must deal with.”

“This is true Lady Riley, if there is anything you need in that department, I’m sure Maxwell can handle that for you.”

Bertrand straightened his tie taking a deep breath to continue his conversation.

“Getting back on task, the purpose of the suitor photo shoot is to upload your candid photo with Prince Liam to the Crown’s social media website so the people can be part of the voting for Most Photogenic Couple. You need to head to your appointment in the boutique.”

“It’s not needed, I have a dress for the event, Bertrand.”

Betrand laughed out loud.

“With all due respect Lady Riley, I’ve looked at your social media, and I seriously doubt anything you brought from New York with you, when you were and I quote ‘living my best life YOLO club hopping with my bae’ would hardly suffice for a upscale luncheon with His Royal Highness and the King and Queen. Maxwell, talk some sense into her.”

Once Bertrand had left, Maxwell peered at Riley.

“Little Blossom….”

“Trust me Maxwell, I have the perfect dress for the garden party. I just need to get a steamer, and I can steam it myself to remove any wrinkles it has. I promise, I will look amazing.”

“I trust you.”

Even though Liam had offered the Beaumonts funding for Riley’s social season expenses, she always felt if she could avoid spending Liam’s money, she would. She did have the perfect dress. It was snow white and ethereal, gently clung to her curves in the right places, and flowy in all the others. Once steamed and after she had straightened her hair but used her curling iron to create loose waves. Since it was almost time for her next batch of white roses from Liam to be delivered, she decided to use the current ones to make a garland of roses for her hair, making sure she saved one for something special for Liam. She wanted the whole world to know that she belonged there too.

Liam was absolutely awestruck when he saw her walking towards the party, heading in her direction, him stopping her at the garden archway.

The way he stared at her made her feel special and desired. Liam never gazed at anyone with the level of intention in his eyes.

After speaking for a few minutes, and the Prince pulling her close to him for a few moments, she continued on to the gardens, meeting up with Hana first.

“I’m so glad you’re here Lady Riley.”

“You know me, fashionably late but always in fashion.” Riley giggled. “I really like your dress.”

“Yours too! Where did you get it? There was nothing like it in the boutique.”

“It’s actually a dress I brought here from home.”

“It’s really pretty, I would have never known. You’ll have a really pretty picture with Prince Liam, with your dress and hair blowing in the wind.”

“That’s the plan!”

“Shall we go and grab a seat?”

“Lets, my dogs are barking!”

“Okay Penelope.” Hana commented with a giggle.

As they turned to take the first steps to start heading towards the suitor’s table, Olivia passed in front of Riley stepping on her foot.

Riley could not contain the curse words that tumbled from her mouth. She was afterall A New Yorker through and through. She was able to use curse words just as fragrant as a painter could make a picture on canvas come to life.

“And that’s why you should be wearing heels and not dollar store sandals.”

Riley decided not to engage the Scarlet Diva anymore at that moment, but the reckoning was coming. She had to wait a bit for the crowd to calm down and It was time for lunch, and time for a little payback.

She decided to survey the serving tables before she enacted her revenge, and let’s be for real, Olivia had it coming. Riley strategically started heaping food on her plate in a haphazard fashion. Anything soupy with a sauce made it to her plate, and to drink? The biggest glass she could find was filled to the brim with red wine.

Target acquired. Riley made her way back to her seat with her plate that was heaping with food and her larger than life glass of red wine, when she passed by Olivia, she feigned slipping dropping the glass of wine over her head.

Direct Hit!

“Whoops!” Riley exclaimed.

Olivia gasped, jumping up, grabbing her arm. Riley again slipped as if the ground where the wine had fallen off of Olivia had made the grass slippery and her plate of food somehow left her hands, landing all over Olivia’s dress.

Flawless Victory!

“My apologies, Duchess Olivia!!!! It looks like I got your whole dress there. Clumsy me!!!”

She leaned into Olivia with a smirk. “Must be those cheap dollar store sandals not providing much traction on the grass.”

The Scarlet Duchess’s face was in fact scarlet and she left the garden party humiliated.

Riley went back in line and got her actual plate of food, finally making it to her place next to Hana once more.

Hana’s eyes were wide and unblinking. “I really wasn’t expecting you to do that. But I’m glad you did. She gets away with so much, I’m glad you stand up to her and for yourself.”

“Don’t let her. All of you guys could stand up for yourselves too, and not let her get away with the things she does.”

“That’s just not how it’s done here.”

“Well, it is now.”

Riley glanced across the way, Liam was smiling, shaking his head at her. Riley smiled back, shrugging her shoulders resulting in Liam’s smile to widen even more.

Photo Op Time

As Liam posed and took pictures with the other suitors, there were some nice photos in the bunch but they all lacked something special. Riley went last, and as she walked in the Prince’s direction

his smile brightened and his eyes twinkled. His world stopped.

“Natural chemistry has finally entered the chat.”

Riley fell into a deep curtsy looking up at Liam as she held out one of the roses she had clipped.

“A matching rose for you Your Highness for your lapel, for our picture together.”

“That’s a lovely gesture Lady Riley.”

After placing the rose, Riley straightened it. “Perfect.”

Riley faced the Prince for her photo as all the suitors before had done. But once their eyes met, there was no denying the electric sexually charged energy of the two together. Neither heard the snap of the camera until Ana De Luca spoke.

“Wow, that was a great picture, but I don’t think the people are ready for a photo with this much raw heat to it.”

“I request a copy of that one Ana.”

She nodded. “You two don’t even need to face each other to create chemistry, it happens on its own.”

Before Ana could actually direct them Liam and Riley fell into a pose different from all the suitors before.

“There it is. Perfect. This picture displays " The Royal Romance.”

All the suitors' pictures with Liam were touched up and uploaded to the Crown’s social media website for voting.

Riley’s picture with Liam won by a landslide, meaning she would be going to Greece with Liam; the man she loves. The girl that had come from lowly beginnings being adopted, and losing everything she had to meeting a kind attractive stranger was now around the world getting stamps on a passport she never thought she would fill, living her best life.

Cinder - fucking - rella in the house or should we say castle?

Just Breathe....

#bebepac writes #the life of riley #riley goes to cordonia #liam x riley forever #choices fanfiction #play choices #trr liam #trr riley brooks #trr nico

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kristinamae093 · 1 year ago

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Thank you for sharing @queenwalton 🖤

Ghosted

Ghosted - The Apple Banquet (Chapter 7)

Catch up here.

Series Summary - Prince Liam fell for Riley Brooks hard and fast. A marriage filled with love and devotion was within his reach. But everything changed when she vanished into thin air just before the end of the social season. As everyone around him begins to voice their concerns regarding her scandalous departure, a confession from an unlikely source turns Liam's world upside down and makes him begin to question everything around him.

Book/Pairing - TRR - Liam x MC (Riley Brooks)

A/N1 - This AU starts right before the beginning of the engagement tour. There is a two-month lapse between the coronation and where we pick up, but we will stray from canon. Please excuse any errors found.

▪︎ Rated M for mature audiences - Series will contain NSFW material, violence, and graphic depictions. Not suitable for anyone under eighteen years of age. ▪︎

Characters belong to Pixelberry

The Apple Banquet was set to begin inside the ballroom of the Applewood Estate momentarily. The entire country was excited, as it was the first one to take place since Constantine wed Regina. All of the nobility gathered to witness the bride and groom share an apple from the year’s first harvest before the wedding.

The wedding, Liam scoffed at the thought. After they found all of Riley’s things a few days ago, he completely changed his view point on the scandal and her disappearance. He spent all this time believing she left to be with someone else, but he began to see the situation from a different light.

It seems the more he learns about Riley’s last night here, the more he believes she was forced away.

Liam learned of Riley retiring early from Maxwell, so they had a solid timeframe where someone could have gotten her out of the estate undetected and the maid to pack and move her things. He felt a sense of relief when the maid reiterated that she was not seen leaving with Tariq, but another man. Of course, he wished she would have been able to identify the unknown person, but in a way, his heart swelled knowing she didn’t leave with Tariq, although it opened a world of other unanswered questions.

Bastien had been searching for Tariq and Riley but had no luck in locating either thus far. The last trace of Riley was landing from her flight in New York, the morning after the Country Jamboree. From there, her trail runs cold. There was no trace of Tariq after his arrival to Applewood whatsoever; there wasn’t even a record of a car coming to pick him up from the estate that night. They had both simply vanished into thin air, like a ghost.

Without either of them, Liam was clueless as to how to proceed further. The few clues they had were just that, clues. There was nothing prominent enough to place blame anywhere. Riley's room had been cleared, not a trace to be found. Nothing was spotted outside, no predominant leads were found in the shed, aside from the dress and the piece of mail. Much to everyone's dismay, Bastien confirmed that he disposed of Riley's phone and the letter left in the room, so no comparison could be done. Liam took blame for everything and felt helpless, there was nothing more he could do; but he felt he had to put on his Kingly facade and continue as if nothing was amiss, at least for the time being.

However, Liam felt the time constricting on him. He was set to marry Madeleine in just a few short weeks, and he didn’t have a clue as to what he was going to do about that. Although he knew it was his duty to marry and produce heirs, he didn’t know if he could marry Madeleine just to appease the nobility, especially now that he knew someone potentially plotted to put her on the throne.

More than that, after they found Riley’s bloodied dress, Liam felt a renewed sense of urgency about locating her; he needed to see that she was unharmed. Of course he wanted nothing more than to hopefully bring her back and ultimately make her his Queen, but he didn’t want to get too far ahead of himself. Just seeing with his own two eyes that she is okay would suffice him, although it would break his heart all over again.

As Liam stood on the dias next to Madeleine greeting all of the court’s nobles, he couldn’t help but look at everyone as if they were a suspect. Although the maid said she saw Riley with a man in a suit, every single person there could have benefitted from getting rid of her; he was aware of the fact that Riley was a commoner and not everyone would be okay with having her as a Queen. Furthermore, Liam was sure it was a hired person who escorted Riley away; he knew his nobles were not stupid, but conniving and malicious. They wouldn’t risk getting their hands dirty, especially with something of that magnitude considering she would have been his selection. That meant the suspect list was open to all of the nobility at this point.

“Liam? Are you even listening to me?!” Madeleine snapped.

“No, I’m not.” Liam retorted. He realized the other nobles were lining up behind the double doors, a sure signal that they were about to be announced into the ballroom with his Father and Regina at the head. He turned away from Madeleine and headed toward the line of people. He took his position in the back of the procession, as tradition dictated. He squared his shoulders, stood to his full height, and waited.

“Penelope!” Madeleine snapped her fingers. “My train!”

Liam silently scoffed as he watched Penelope scurry over and take position behind Madeleine. He saw her struggling to keep up with Madeleine’s pace, but she never once let that train touch the ground.

As they reached Liam’s position, Madeleine shooed Penelope away before she turned to Liam. “Cute. I don’t know what your deal is but you need to knock it off.”

“Or what?” Liam snapped as he turned to face her.

“I’m sure I can think of something.”

“Are you threatening me?”

Madeleine indignantly laughed. “No, darling, whatever would make you think that?” She feigned innocence.

Liam stepped closer to her and lowered his voice to where only she could hear. “I told you, I'm not playing whatever game it is that you are trying to play. You'd do well to remember that you are not the Queen, not yet… I hold that power, so I would advise you to tread carefully, Countess.” He hissed through clenched teeth.

Liam found himself on edge; he was not in the mood to deal with Madeleine, or anyone else for that matter. This is the last place he wanted to be, and he was not about to let Madeleine try and boss him around or assert whatever dominance she thought she held over him.

Liam stood back up and adjusted his lapels. Madeleine’s face turned a hundred shades of crimson, but she returned her attention to the line in front of her. She attempted to thread her arm through Liam’s, but he pulled away. At a nod from the herald, the doors swung open and Liam strode inside with Madeleine walking closely beside him.

They were led by a servant to a banquet table adorned with a white lace tablecloth. A wooden stand sat in the middle of the table with a bright red cordonian ruby sitting atop it, beside the apple was a knife with a black handle and gold trim.

Liam took his position behind the table next to Madeleine and directed his attention to his father, who had taken place in front of the table with a champagne flute of cider in hand.

"The sharing of a Cordonian ruby dates back to the times of King Fabian. At that time, the King and Queen would not share cake when they wed, but instead a Cordonian ruby. The monarchy has since modernized, but this tradition is to honor those who have paved the way before us.

We gather here today to celebrate not only another year's bountiful harvest, but the matrimony that these two will share. Although no vows will be exchanged here today, the symbolism remains the same."

Constantine stopped his speech as applause filled the air. He waited for a few moments before he raised his hand to quiet the crowd and continued. "We have a bright future ahead of us as a country. I have no doubt in my mind that these two will lead us with distinction and grace, just as the Kings and Queens before them. We will not only thrive under their rule, but prosper." He lifted his glass in the air. "To King Liam and our soon to be Queen, Countess Madeleine."

The crowd all raised their glasses and echoed the former King's sentiments. Liam and Madeleine then each cut a slice from the apple and ate it to complete the needless ceremony. Liam grew up loving the Cordonian ruby and was incredibly proud of his heritage, but that particular apple tasted incredibly tart and bitter. It took all of his willpower not to scrunch his face as the tangy, sour flavor overcame his taste buds.

Liam was forced to stand for photographs with Madeleine before he could take a moment for himself. He didn't smile, but instead just started blankly into space past the camera. Madeleine was positioned at a slight angle in front of him and he made it a point to put as much space between them as he could and still get a 'natural’ looking portrait.

Once pictures were finished, Liam made a beeline for the bar and ordered himself a scotch on the rocks; he needed something to calm his dangerously high stress levels. As his drink was delivered to him, he felt a hand on his back. He turned around to find Drake. “How you holding up?”

“I’m not, Drake. I haven’t slept, I don’t want to be here. I need to be looking for them, for her; I have to find her.” Liam said before he downed his drink in one gulp and motioned to the bartender for another.

Drake stepped forward and signaled for a whiskey as the bartender refilled Liam’s glass. As he waited he addressed Liam. “I know this is hard on you especially. But, for now, you gotta just play along. Make ‘em think you’re really gonna go through with the wedding.”

“It's just around the corner. There's not a lot of time…”

“Don’t think about that. Right now, our focus is this investigation. We just need a little bit more to go off of, and we’re going to find it, Li. However, that means you gotta pretened to be a pretentious stick in the mud to appease all these ass wipes for a little bit…” Drake smirked as he took a sip from his drink and looked around the room.

Liam half-laughed. “I know you’re right. This is the best option, at least for now.” He shook his head and looked into his drink. “I’m just having a hard time being diplomatic when I know that someone very likely in this room is responsible for hurting the woman I love.”

Drake patted Liam on the back. “I know. But, just think, when all this is said and done and we figure out who did this, you’re gonna get to go full blown King on that mutherfucker! Goddamn I can’t wait for that!” Drake exclaimed with a huge smile on his face.

Liam laughed, for real this time. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so happy, even when I got you that international whiskey subscription for your birthday.”

“Man, I should order another one of those, that Hakushu Single Malt was to die for.” Drake responded as he took a drink of the whiskey in his hand, imagining it was the japanese liquor.

“Maybe when this is all said and done I can get you a whole case of that.” Liam chuckled when Drake’s eyes widened, but he soon sighed and looked out at the crowd in front of them. “I suppose I should circulate the room, pretend I want to be here. But thank you for lifting my spirits.”

“What I’m here for.” Drake replied as he lifted his glass to Liam, who returned the gesture and downed a large drink after. Liam shook his hand before he turned and made his way through the crowded room.

As he turned away, Liam saw some lesser nobles and the suitors he hadn’t chosen, minus Olivia, who was not yet joining the tour officially. At first glance, he noticed Lady Hana was not present. He was unsure if an invitation had been extended or not, but made a mental note to find out. He shook his head and looked away as he observed Penelope dabbing Madeleine’s mouth with a napkin. She trailed behind holding her drink, even going as far as bringing the glass to Madeleine's lips.

Liam continued through the room, stopping on occasion to shake a hand and exchange pleasantries. He spotted his Father and Regina as they glided throughout the ballroom together. Even though Constantine hadn’t been given much time to live, he insisted on being present throughout the tour. Liam told him he didn’t need to accompany them on the entire route, but Constantine was stubborn and was outside with everyone else when it was time for the motorcade to leave the capitol.

As Liam made his way to the other side of the room, he noticed Bertrand and Maxwell in a secluded alcove. Bertrand waved his finger in Maxwell’s face and Maxwell had his gaze trained to the floor in front of him. Bertrand’s body was turned slightly away from Liam, but he could still see his reddened face and it appeared he spoke so fast he hadn't even stopped for a breath.

Liam decided he needed to intervene and walked toward the pair. He cleared his throat as he approached them. Bertrand turned with wide eyes and bowed to Liam.

“Is everything alright?” Liam asked.

“Oh, yes, of course Your Majesty. We were just discussing House business.” Bertrand replied as he slid his eyes over to Maxwell with an irritated expression.

“That’s not what appeared to be happening. It looks as though you were once again berating Maxwell when I specifically told you to lay off of him.”

“I understand that. However, I learned today from a potential business partner that Maxwell left the estate when he should have been awaiting their call! We didn't secure that deal because he decided he had something more important to do!” Bertrand exasperated as he kept his steely gaze trained on Maxwell.

Maxwell finally looked up to meet eyes with Liam. Liam knew that Maxwell snuck away from the estate to meet Drake and Olivia before the tour started; he also knew that Maxwell had not told Bertrand about their investigation, per Liam's request. Instead, he continued to let Bertrand berate him and place blame on him for their houses' tanked reputation and financial crisis.

What Liam saw in Maxwell’s gaze was complete devastation, he knew judging from his defeated expression he was starting to break. And Liam couldn’t blame him, he had put up with Bertrand's rants daily for months.

Although Liam wasn’t entirely sure if he should, he couldn’t bear to watch his friend be torn down to nothing and let it happen; it was time to set Bertrand straight.

Bertrand began again. “He’s continuously shown his irresponsibility! You can’t pick a suitor, you can’t answer a phone, what can you do, then?! I am this close to–”

“Enough.” Liam said in a quiet but stern tone as he held up his hand to stop Bertrand from his tirade.

“Forgive me, Your Majesty, I forget myself–”

“No. You are not going to berate Maxwell any longer as if this is his fault: it is not. As far as him missing your 'important' phone call, I happen to know where he was and who he was with, and that meeting was far more important, I assure you.” Liam bit out.

Bertrand grew confused. “What? I don’t understand, what meeting? Why didn’t you tell me about this meeting?” He asked Maxwell.

“I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone…” Maxwell quietly answered, avoiding eye contact.

“What does that even mean?!”

Liam quickly looked behind him to the crowded ballroom and decided it was too risky to talk there. He motioned for Maxwell and Bertrand to follow him and led them down a hallway close by. He stopped at a nondescript door and ushered them inside.

As he faced them, Liam addressed Bertrand, specifically. “Duke Beaumont, I’d first off like to say that you should be ashamed of how you’ve treated Maxwell as of recent. Let's not forget, you didn’t even select a suitor to begin with.”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty–”

Liam held up his hand to stop him. “I’m not interested in your excuses, nor your apologies. Those are not meant for me, anyway.” Liam looked to Maxwell with a sad expression, then back to Bertrand. “I just wanted you to understand that your King is incredibly disappointed in your horrific behavior, which you had no reason for.”

“No reason?! Sir, I have every reason to be upset! Maxwell brought that… that… harlot here and she–”

“You are two seconds away from finding yourself in the cells. I know you don’t know the truth, but I’d advise you to watch your tone.” Liam hissed through clenched teeth.

“The truth? What truth is there to know? We all know what happened–”

“I have officially opened an investigation into Lady Riley’s disappearance.”

Bertrand’s eyes bulged from the sockets. “D-Disapperance?!”

Liam told Bertrand about what they had learned so far and where they were at with the investigation, as well as his suspicions of Riley being forced to leave. He told him about the shed they found, as well as the bloodied dress and letter inside.

When Liam was finished, he and Maxwell watched as Bertrand slowly walked over to a chair and sunk himself down into it. He clasped his hands together and stared in front of him for a long while. Liam and Maxwell didn’t say a word, just observed as a plethora of emotions crossed Bertrand’s features.

Finally, Bertrand spoke. He kept his gaze to the floor in front of him, “So… she was set up?” he whispered.

“We believe so, yes.” Liam answered.

Bertrand broke into sobs. Maxwell quickly crossed the room and crouched in front of Bertrand. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but we’re going to figure this out! We’re going to fix this!” Maxwell promised him as tears of his own streamed down his face.

Bertrand shook his head and looked away from Maxwell. “While I’m upset she was set up, I’m mostly ashamed of how I’ve treated you since... I’ve blamed you and berated you this whole time, and you were never at fault. You never once challenged me in all the atrocious things I said about you, you just… allowed me to do it…” He tried to swallow the overwhelming lump in his throat and quietly asked, “Did you know about Lady Riley? This whole time?”

Maxwell shook his head and quietly responded, “I only found out before the tour, although I will admit I didn’t know when I snuck out.” He looked away. “I had my doubts about it though… But you were so mad at me and I didn’t want to make it worse.”

“Maxwell… I-I’m so sorry...” Bertrand shook his head as more tears flowed down his cheeks. “You didn’t deserve any of that treatment. I can’t believe I’ve acted this way…”

Maxwell inched closer. “It’s okay, Bertrand!”

“No, it’s not okay. I treated you so… maliciously, as if you weren’t my own flesh and blood.” Bertrand wiped at his cheeks and looked Maxwell directly in the eye. “I’ll never forgive myself.”

Maxwell leaned forward and embraced Bertrand; he squeezed him as tight as he could. Even though Maxwell was still indeed hurt from Bertrand’s harsh words, he didn’t want to see him beat himself up over it. All he wanted to do was to move forward and put this entire mess behind them. Ultimately, all Maxwell wanted was to clear his best friend’s name and bring her home to make the family complete again.

“I love you Bertrand, and if I forgive you, you have to forgive yourself. You’ve been under so much pressure since Dad got sick, and I know I’ve always added to your problems. And then to lose our suitor at the very end of the season…” Maxwell took a deep breath to steady himself and continued. “You were under a lot of stress, and it was technically my fault for bringing her here to begin with, so…”

“No.” Bertrand firmly said as he pulled himself from Maxwell’s embrace, “You are not to blame here whatsoever Maxwell… In fact, I may be more at fault here than you..." He took a deep breath and quietly said, "I – I'm afraid I may need to come clean about something…"

Maxwell immediately moved and stood next to Liam with a furrowed brow. Liam felt his heart rate increase and stepped forward instantly. "What do you mean?"

"I – I worry you may find out anyway during your investigation, and I feel after my other atrocious actions I may as well come clean and take my punishment."

Bertrand was suddenly yanked up from his seat by Liam's strong hands. Liam held Bertrand by the collar of his sweater and pulled his face to eye level, nearly lifting him off his feet. "What did you do?"

Maxwell stepped forward to intervene, but Bertrand held a hand out to stop him. As he spoke, his eyes never left Liam's steely gaze. "Don't. I deserve whatever may come." He took a deep breath and told them about going through Maxwell’s phone and selling the photos from Liam's bachelor party. Bertrand realized if Liam found out on his own, his fate would be ten times worse than whatever he would be facing now. To hopefully spare himself, he was willing to come clean.

The longer Bertrand spoke, the more Maxwell's shock intensified; he couldn't believe Bertrand stooped so low. Liam saw red; he yanked Bertrand closer and growled, "You fucking snake."

"I understand your anger, sir–"

"Did you do it? Did you set her up?" Liam slightly shook Bertrand. "Did you force her to leave?!"

Bertrand's eyes widened once more. "No! My indiscretions were toward the beginning of the social season, and I changed my view on her! I believed in her until–"

"Why? Why do it then?!" Liam shook Bertrand harder, audibly tearing his vest in the process, but Liam was quick to bunch up more fabric to keep his hold intact.

"I assumed she wouldn't last and I was desperate for the money." Bertrand quickly spat out.

"So you not only sold your suitor out, but you sold me out as well? For profit?" Bertrand didn't respond, only nodded his head with shame etched in his features.

At that moment, every single thing that happened over the past couple of days combined with this newly added betrayal sent Liam overboard. He tightened his grip on Bertrand’s vest and pulled, ripping it down the middle with ease and leaving it dangling like the jacket over it. Bertrand stumbled backwards but was given no time to react before a fist connected with his jaw, the popping sound echoing throughout the room. Bertrand dropped to the floor with a yelp cradling his face as he frantically prepared himself for the next blow. Maxwell wanted to help, but he was frozen in fear at seeing the look of pure rage in Liam's features.

Liam stared down at Bertrand through narrowed eyes with heavy breaths. "Your actions are making me question whether or not you are truly fit for the title of Duke. To not only exploit your suitor, but your future King?" He stalked toward Bertrand, who was scooting backward across the floor.

The moment was interrupted by a stern knock. Without notice the door swung open and Bastien rushed inside. He quickly approached Liam and said, “Sir, we need to get you to the safe room, now.” and placed his hand on him to begin leading him away.

“What, why?!” Liam questioned as he attempted to evade Bastien’s grip.

“There’s been a body found.”

Liam forcefully stomped his feet on the ground. “What?! Do you know who it was? What happened?”

“Sir, I don’t know a lot of information right now, but I have to get you to safety before I can go secure the area.”

“Where was it?”

Bastien remained silent for a long moment. He looked as if he didn’t want to answer, but once he saw Liam’s budding impatience he finally spoke. “The west grounds, sir.”

While Liam was locked away in the guarded safe room with Madeleine, her parents, Constantine and Regina, Olivia and Drake were on their way to examine the crime scene with Bastien. The royal family had a secured area inside all the major estates for this purpose, although houses were available nearby. However, those were only used in drastic scenarios such as terrorist threats or assassination attempts. Since there was no signs someone was attempting to target the nobility, Bastien assured them they would be safe there while he and the guard did an initial investigation.

Olivia was not yet ready to join the tour on an official standpoint. She knew the time would come when she would have to, but right now she was only stalking in the shadows looking for any kind of information. Only a select few knew of her presence and she intended to keep it that way until absolutely necessary.

Olivia went back and searched Riley’s room again to ensure nothing was missed and returned to the shed to retrieve the contaminated dress. As her initial shock faded, she realized that was a prominent clue laying right in front of their faces. She went back and grabbed the article at the start of the Apple Banquet while everyone was distracted. She intended to give the item to Bastien, but when he found her and informed her of the crime committed she sprung into action and followed along, the dress momentarily forgotten.

As they walked along the path she immediately realized where they were headed; the shed she had visited just a few hours prior where Riley's things were hidden. From the front, everything appeared as it was when Olivia visited the area. Her anxiety increased as Bastien approached the structure, but he veered to the left and led them to the back, which she was nowhere near during her earlier venture.

Guards scoured all around, some people in lab coats were taking pictures, multiple evidence markers lay on the ground near the area. As her eyes searched over the vicinity, she couldn’t help but feel like it seemed incredibly – tame, for what she was guessing had happened.

Propped against the back wall of the shed was a lifeless body. Upon first glance, the cause of death was undoubtedly clear; the victim's throat had been slashed nearly from ear to ear. Olivia grew up around weapons and knew exactly what kind of damage her skills could do. As she gazed upon the gruesome gash, she immediately knew that wound was deep and absolutely intentional; whoever did this did not hesitate whatsoever. Furthermore, the face was severely battered; both eyes were swollen shut and painted every shade of black, as well as a severely broken nose. She stared at the battered face for only a moment before a small gasp escaped Olivia as recognition swept over her; it was the maid they had spoken with only a few days prior.

Olivia’s widened eyes traveled down the body and she was unable to tell if there could be more wounds on the maid’s chest and abdomen, or if the coat of blood was due to her fatal injury. However, that’s where Olivia’s suspicions sky rocketed; the body was covered in a heavy layer of blood, but the ground around her had nothing.

“Walker, come here.” Olivia beckoned. Drake walked over to her with furrowed brows as Olivia stood. “Tell me I’m crazy, but there’s absolutely no blood around that body.”

“Huh…” Drake answered as he looked around. “You’re right. Hey Bas!” He hollered over his shoulder. Bastien appeared within an instant with a pen and pad in hand. “Have you noticed how there’s no blood here?”

“Hmm…” Bastien glanced down at the area with an unreadable expression before he nodded and wrote something down. “I’ve added it to my notes. Do be sure to let me know if you notice anything else. The more information we have, the sooner we can find an answer.”

“Are we just going to ignore the gigantic elephant in the room?" Olivia motioned to the shed. “This is no coincidence. Who this is, where she’s at, the fact that I'm certain this body was placed here specifically…”

Drake’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped. “Holy shit–”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “I’m going to start charging if I have to keep spelling everything out for you.”

Bastien spoke before Drake could retort, “I hadn’t made that connection; excellent work Duchess.”

Olivia raised an eyebrow and watched Bastien jot something yet again on his pad. “Okay, him I understand needing a preschool explanation, you on the other hand should’ve made that connection instantly.” She snapped as she continued to eye him critically.

Bastien was slightly taken back, but quickly recovered himself. “I understand your frustration. However, I’m becoming aware of developments at the same rate as you. I’m grateful for your assistance.” He bowed to her. As he stood he addressed the pair, “I’m going to secure the perimeter.”

Olivia watched him leave with narrowed eyes. He went over to a guard and spoke quietly then aimlessly walked around the area. Every now and again he would write something down, but otherwise he only made laps. She knew Bastien was senseless at times, but he almost seemed more so than normal.

For the first time, she took a good look around and again couldn’t help but notice how everything seemed conveniently placed. The yellow evidence markers were almost in a straight line in clustered areas. She approached one and bent down to observe and saw it was a wad of hair; not one single hair, a bunched up ball of long, dark hair. Another was simply a piece of gum; she was no criminal mastermind, but who in their right mind would spit their gum out in the middle of a vicious murder? Of course, it’s possible to be unrelated, but this area was practically of no use; that is until Riley’s things were shoved here. Regardless, Bastien still continued to search the area as if this was a normal crime scene and nothing was amiss.

As she scanned the area, the sudden realization of what was going on on a broader spectrum hit her; whoever orchestrated getting Madeleine on the throne was surely onto the fact that they were now asking questions. It was a silent agreement that whoever managed to remove the top two suitors from the social season was a powerful force, but it suddenly seemed much stronger and deadlier than before. This entire scene was pieced together to send a message; someone knew, and whoever it was was not happy about their venture for answers.

Olivia pulled Drake aside and spoke in a low, cautious tone. “We need to get out of here.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Look around, Drake! Even you have to notice something does not add up! This was fucking staged – someone is trying to send us a message.”

“We gotta tell Bas–”

“Why? So he can write it down?” Olivia rolled her eyes. “We need to plan our next steps… our next move has to be calculated.” She looked around with a nervous expression. As she did, her eyes landed on Bastien who simply nodded and returned to his grazing.

Tags (please let me know if you'd like added or removed): @choicesficwriterscreations @ao719 @txemrn @imashybish @queenrileyrose @kingliam2019 @riseandshinelittleblossom @dcbbw @tessa-liam @twinkleallnight @amandablink @cordonia-gothqueen @sfb123 @jared2612 @harleybeaumont @bebepac @charlotteg234 @busywoman @malblk21 @angelasscribbles @bascmve01 @iaminlovewithtrr @hopelessromanticmonie @mysticalfangirl @umccall71 @fuckitweball0000 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @lovingchoices14 @emersyn-in-cordonia @aussiegurl1234 @karahalloway @the0afnan

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choicesfandomappreciation · 4 years ago

Note

@queenwalton is just an awesome person she is very supportive. I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for being you!

@queenwalton

#jessiembruno #queenwalton #cfa

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lovablegranny · 4 years ago

Text

I'd Rather Go Blind (Falsely Accused)

"WHAT DID YOU DO"? I could see Regina with what appeared to be a gun in her hand. And there he was, King Father crumbled on the floor in a pool of his own blood. I quickly shut the door and began yelling for Christopher and Bastien while running down the stairs. I didn't realize that I was in shock until I ran into Bastien and fell into his arms and I must have fainted. When I came too, I could feel the softness of my throw blanket and the smell of Liam's cologne. I slowly opened my eyes to keep from getting dizzy, and my eyes landed on his deep brown ones. The memory of what I had seen caused me to panic, not knowing where Regina was and what was going on. It wasn't until Bastien called my name that I got up asking a million questions. Liam placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and assured me that I was safe and then began to ask me to tell them what I had seen when I walked into his quarters. I began to tell them what I had walked in on and while talking i didn't see Bastien moving closer to me until his hands reached my arms. He proceeded to place cuffs on me ,while looking at me with sad eyes. I was shocked by what was going on and asked him why was he cuffing me? He stated that when they arrived, no one was in the room except the King Father and he was in a coma. He also said that he spoke to Regina and she just kept saying my name and crying. It then occurred to me what was going on. Did she tell them that I shot Constantine? How was I going to get myself out of this?

@bbrandy2002@kingliam2019@kacie-0156@texaskitten30@annekebbphotography@ao719unvie@offchoices@mom2000aggie@kimmied005@queenwalton@glaimtruelovealways@cordonianroyalty

#glamtruelovealways #kacie 0156 #kingliam2019 #queenwalton

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phoenixrising0308 · 2 years ago

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A milestone to smile at

Not sure how to tag, but if this reaches you, I hope you are well and your day is awesome... and the flu stays far far away from you.

@iaminlovewithtrr @belencha77 @karahalloway @princess-geek @walkerdrakewalker @eadanga @ladylamrian @jerzwriter @peonierose @3pawandme @burnsoslow @busywoman @queenwalton @alexabeta @dcbbw @kingliam2019 @tinkie1973 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @amandablink @lovingchoices14 @secretaryunpaid @tessa-liam @twinkleallnight @kat-tia801 @shewillreadyou @txemrn @malblk21 @yourmajesty09 @mom2000aggie @xpandass420x @21-wishes @angelasscribbles @harleybeaumont @masterofbluff @bebepac @imashybish @chickensarentcheap

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sfb123 · 1 year ago

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@queenwalton Thank you for reading and sharing! 💚💜

Hands Down

Chapter 2: "Waves"

Catch up here!

Pairing: Liam x Riley

All characters belong to Pixelberry

Summary: Can Liam and Riley still find their way to each other despite Riley turning down Maxwell's invitation to Cordonia?

Rating: G

Word Count: 3,304

Song Inspiration: Waves - Dean Lewis

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this out, life hit me hard the last month (both good and bad), but here it is. I promise I'll be better about regular releases.

A/N 2: Thank you to @ao719 for the song suggestion, and helping me work through some of the made up in my head issues.

A/N 3: This was not properly beta'd, so please excuse the many errors.

Tags are below the cut/in the comments. If you'd like to be added or removed, please let me know!

“His Highness, Crown Prince Liam Rys.”

All conversations halted, and heads turned to the doors at the front of the room as Liam entered the ballroom. It was the final night of the social season, and he was only hours away from becoming the King of Cordonia.

This also meant he was only hours away from having to announce which suitor would become his queen.

He surveyed the room, observing each of the women, hoping for some sign as to who the right choice would be. He had spent the last few months with them at various events, spending one on one time with each woman, trying to make a connection or find a spark of something. He would always end up comparing them to her, and they would always come up short.

But she wasn’t here. She rejected the invitation.

Throughout the social season, his mind would drift to thoughts of Riley Brooks, memories of their night together. But that’s all they were, and all they would ever be. He had barely slept since the season began, spending his nights going over his options, trying to figure out who would be the best choice to rule by his side.

Kiara Thorton, a polyglot with a natural sense of diplomacy. She would certainly be an asset in building relationships and alliances. But would she have the compassion and candor needed to win over the citizens?

Penelope Ebrim, compassionate to a fault. However, her naivete would prove challenging during the more complex aspects of the job.

Hana Lee, a newcomer to Cordonian court. In the brief interactions Liam had with her, he found her to be kind yet incredibly timid and insecure. It was a toss up which one of them was least enthused to be a part of all of this. She was obviously there on her parent’s order alone.

Olivia Nevrakis, one of Liam’s oldest and dearest friends. She certainly cared for him, and he for her. But not the way a husband should care for his wife. Besides, she was a Nevrakis, a family with a checkered past in the Cordonian history books. She would be a controversial choice, questioned by many.

And finally, Madeleine Amaranth, the top contender in the press and with the council, including Liam’s parents. She had been his brother’s chosen suitor, jilted when he made the decision to abdicate. It was an unofficial betrothal agreement when they were children, so she had spent her whole life in training to sit on the throne. Everyone was sure that she would be Liam’s choice. Everyone, except for Liam.

While he did agree that Madeleine would be an excellent queen, there was something missing. He didn’t feel he could be the best king possible with her by his side. He needed a wife that would see him, and support him as a man, not just a king. He wanted to be able to retire for the evening and spend time as a family. He didn’t see that with Madeleine, her strength was also her weakness. He needed to be able to just be Liam sometimes, with Madeleine, he would always be the king.

“Little brother!” Liam was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of his brother’s voice.

“Leo? What are you doing here?”

“I couldn’t miss your big night!” He clapped his brother on the shoulder. “So, have you made your choice?”

Liam sighed at the question. His choice would have been for Leo to live up to his birthright, allowing him to remain the spare and hold on to a small semblance of freedom. “You will see in due time.” He responded, not wanting to admit that he still hadn’t decided.

“Oh, come on. Not even a hint?”

“How was the cruise?” Liam asked, diverting the attention away from himself.

“Ugh,” Leo groaned. “It didn’t go quite as planned.”

“So that woman, the one Madeleine found in your bed?”

“Yeah, she’s in someone else’s bed now.” He said nonchalantly.

Liam’s jaw ticked, as his fists clenched at his side. The woman who had captivated Leo so much that he had abdicated the throne, and put all of this on Liam’s shoulders, was with someone else. Leo gave everything up for nothing.

“Your Highnesses,” a voice interrupted before Liam could respond. The brothers turned to find a photographer holding up a camera to them. “Can I get a quick picture?”

“Of course, my good man!” Leo threw his arm around Liam, pulling him to his side. Liam put on his most stoic smile, hiding all of the emotions that were flowing through him in that moment.

Once the picture was taken, the photographer thanked the pair before bowing and stepping away.

“I don’t regret a second of it,” Leo continued once they were alone. “Everyone comes into your life for a reason, she helped me to see that this wasn’t the life I was meant for.” He signaled to the opulence of the room around them. “I needed to step away and find my own path. I’m not there yet, but I’m figuring it out.”

Liam nodded, noticing the parallels in their situations. In that moment, it all clicked, and he knew exactly what his decision would be. “If you’ll excuse me Leo, I need to meet with father before the announcement.”

“Of course, knock ‘em dead, bro!”

As Liam walked across the ballroom, looking for his father, his mind began to race. Maybe Riley wasn’t the love of his life, maybe that night was just meant to be a sign. Perhaps he could have it all, be the best king he could be without sacrificing his happiness.

“Excuse me,” Liam said, interrupting Constantine, who was deep in conversation with Madeleine's father. No doubt making plans for the impending engagement tour. “Father, if I may have a word with you, privately?”

“You’re going to be making your announcement shortly, we can speak afterwards.” He replied dismissively.

“Please, it’s urgent.” Liam insisted.

Constantine excused himself from his conversation and followed Liam into his study, closing the door behind him. As soon as they were away from the eyes of the court Liam’s demeanor changed, he seemed anxious, pacing back and forth across the floor. Constantine attributed it to the changes he would be going through in the next hour, and was grateful that he was able to conceal those emotions when he was in front of others.

“Godfrey and I were just discussing the engagement tour. We are going to begin in Fydelia, since it is the home of your future betrothed.” Constantine broke the silence in the room.

“I’m not choosing Madeleine.” Liam stated flatly.

Constantine’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Well, there will certainly be some damage control needed, but it’s not the end of the world. Don’t tell me you’ve chosen the Nevrakis girl. I know you two are close, but she was only invited to participate out of obligation. She cannot sit on the throne.”

“No, I’m not choosing Olivia.” Liam took a deep breath, preparing himself. “I will not be choosing one of the suitors.”

“But son, you need to be engaged to ascend the throne. You know I’m in poor health, I need to step down before…”

“That’s why I wanted to speak with you,” Liam interrupted. “I would like for you to make a change to the law. One final decree as reigning king.” He noticed his father’s trepidation, and continued speaking. “I just don’t think I can be the king Cordonia needs, or deserves, if I am married to one of those women. You know how important it is for a king to have the right queen by his side.”

“I do, that’s why I’ve been encouraging you to choose the countess. She has been preparing for this role since she was a child.”

“So have I, I went through all of the same lessons that Leo did. I can be a great king on my own, until I find a queen that will be good for this country, and for me.” Liam pleaded with his father.

Constantine studied Liam’s expression, he was steadfast and unwavering. “And if I refuse?”

“Then when I go up on stage tonight and I will announce my abdication. I believe the line of succession would then fall to the Nevrakis girl,” he mimicked Constantine’s earlier tone. “And you’ve made it quite clear how you feel about that.”

The reigning king’s eyes went wide at Liam’s ultimatum. “You would throw thousands of years of tradition away over this?”

“Over my happiness? Absolutely.” Liam’s expression softened in a final attempt to get his father to understand. “Cordonia deserves me at my best, and I cannot do that with one of these suitors, so I would rather step down than give them anything less.”

“You are certainly a fierce negotiator.” Constantine observed.

“I’ve learned from the best.” Liam replied, he smirked at his father, hoping to lighten the mood slightly. He was unsuccessful.

“And where do you imagine you’re going to find this woman?” Constantine asked. “I will not have you plastering your personal information all over these dating websites I’ve been hearing about.”

“No sir, I wouldn’t,” Liam assured. “I much prefer making a face to face connection.”

Constantine stood in pensive silence, thinking about Liam’s proposition, but also studying his son. He was looking for even the slightest break in his expression, but there was none. Liam knew he was being tested and failing was not an option.

“If I do this for you, you will make the announcement and deal with any of the fallout on your own.” He warned.

Liam nodded in understanding. “Of course.”

“Son, this conversation has shown me that you will be exactly the ruler this country needs.” Constantine placed a hand on his shoulder. “With or without a wife.”

“Thank you, father.” Liam’s tone remained even, afraid his father might change his mind if he showed too much enthusiasm. Inwardly, he was screaming.

“I will need about an hour to make the arrangements. You are to return to the ball, and keep this information to yourself. No one is to know until you step onstage and make the announcement.”

“Yes sir,” Liam extended a hand, which his father shook briefly before pulling him into a hug.

“I’m proud of you, son.” Constantine said, patting him on the back before pulling away. “Now get out there and keep everyone occupied.”

Liam nodded with a smile, and returned to the ball feeling lighter than he had in months.

As soon as he set foot in the ballroom, he was approached by Penelope, who asked him to dance. He obliged, and led her to the center of the floor. Penelope hadn’t stopped speaking once during their dance, but Liam didn’t hear a word she said. All he could think about was his announcement, and what this meant for him. He was one step closer to living his dream, and falling in love.

Once the dance was over, Liam parted ways with Penelope and made his rounds through the room, his eyes intermittently flickering toward the door. As the time passed, his nerves grew, worried that his father may renege on their agreement.

Liam was in the middle of a conversation with the Beaumonts when the music stopped, and a throat clearing over the speakers pulled his attention. He looked up to see his father standing on stage.

Once the crowd quieted down, Constantine began to address them. “The moment we’ve been waiting for all season has finally arrived. It has been my great honor to serve Cordonia these last few decades.” His expression sombered as he continued. “We’ve had turmoil, but Cordonia has pulled together even during our toughest times. I couldn’t be more proud to have been Cordonia’s king.”

The crowd applauded as Constantine searched the faces for his son. When his eyes locked on Liam, he nodded. Liam took the signal and made his way to the stage. When he took his spot at his father’s side, Constantine continued.

“I only now pass the crown to Prince Liam because I know he’ll carry on exactly as I have. I couldn’t ask for a better successor.”

“Father…” Liam’s expression softened, touched by his words.

“It’s true. I love your brother, but you are the king Cordonia needs.” He turned to smile at his youngest son before continuing. “You have more than proven that to me. Especially tonight. Today, I pass the royal signet ring to you. Cordonia is yours, my son.”

As the crowd cheered, Constantine took a step back, standing beside Regina, as Liam took his place in front of the microphone. “Thank you all for being here tonight. This is an incredible honor and a responsibility that I don’t take lightly. I only hope that I can serve Cordonia with the distinction that my father did.” He turned to his father and step-mother, bowing to them before pulling them each into an embrace.

“And now, the time has come, your prince will choose his bride.” Regina announced.

“Actually,” Liam returned to the microphone. “In the interest of hitting the ground running, I spoke with my father earlier tonight, and he has put through one final decree as king.” Liam looked to his father, who nodded in approval. “I truly appreciate all of the ladies that participated in the season. Your grace and poise throughout the weeks has not gone unnoticed. Your unwavering support for this country is an inspiration. However, I will not be choosing a bride tonight.”

The crowd immediately broke into gasps and murmurs as they took in Liam’s announcement. He looked out over the confused faces, taking in each of the suitors' reactions. Shock appeared to be the general consensus, until his eyes landed on Madeleine. Her expression remained impassive, but he could see the fire in her eyes before she abruptly turned and exited the ballroom. Liam did feel bad for her, this was her second time thinking she would become queen, and the second time the opportunity had been taken from her.

Liam heard a throat clear behind him and he turned, locking eyes with Constantine. He didn’t have to say a word, Liam understood. He lifted a hand to silence the crowd. “If you will allow me to explain,” he said, once the noise had died down. “As I said, each of the suitors showed immeasurable grace and dedication to their country, all of which are crucial qualities for a queen. However, there was one very important qualification that I could not find. I was unable to connect with them in the way that a man should connect with his wife.”

He paused for a moment, allowing a few whispers of confusion to ripple through the room. “I want to give this country my absolute best. To do that, I believe that I need to forge my own path, and find the right partner for me, and for this country.”

Questions were shouted out rapid fire from the crowd, Liam once again raised a hand and waited for the room to quiet down. “I understand that there will be many questions and concerns, I will do my best to answer and address them all in due time. However, right now, we do need to proceed with this evening’s agenda. I appreciate your support, and look forward to continuing to guide Cordonia into greatness.”

Liam ignored the lingering comments that were scattered throughout the crowd, and the evening went on as planned. He took his oath and was officially crowned the king of Cordonia. Despite the upset earlier in the evening, the tone for the rest of the event was full of cheer and hope. There were, understandably, lingering doubts about Liam’s decision, but the court had enough faith in him to be able to celebrate this moment for what it was, a new beginning for Cordonia.

At the end of the night, once the guests had retired to their rooms, Liam sat on his throne, taking in the gravity of what had just happened.

“You know you don’t have to sleep on that thing, right?” The gruff voice of his best friend pulled him from his thoughts.

“I know,” Liam responded. “I suppose I’m just letting things sink in.”

“That’s fair,” he shrugged. “So what now?”

“Well, there will be a few interviews and photo ops with the press. I will need to be formally introduced to our allies and neighboring countries.” He paused for a moment. “I suppose we will need to rebrand what was supposed to be the engagement tour. I will work out the details in the morning.”

“Yeah, let’s talk about that for a second,” Drake smirked. “What happened?”

Liam let out a humorless laugh. “Leo, of all things.” Drake looked at him curiously. “I was speaking with him earlier, and he was telling me about that woman from the cruise. It didn’t work out.”

“Shocking.” Drake deadpanned.

“Right? Well, he said something that resonated with me.” Liam explained Leo’s theory, and how it inspired him to stand up to his father, and forge his own path.

“That’s great Li, I’m really proud of you for standing up for yourself.” Drake congratulated his friend. “So when are you going to New York?”

Liam’s gaze snapped up, meeting Drake’s. “What do you mean? Why would I go to New York?”

“For the waitress.” Drake said with an arched brow. He knew Liam better than that. “That’s what all of this was about, wasn’t it?”

“Not quite,” Liam sighed. “Riley was my sign, not my soulmate. She made it clear that my feelings are not returned.”

“What are you talking about? I’m pretty sure it was obvious to everyone but you that she was into you.”

“Then why didn’t she accept Maxwell’s offer to join the social season?”

“Seriously?” Drake slapped his palm against his forehead. “Listen, take a step back and look at it from her point of view. She has this whole life, a job, a family, friends, and you expected her to give all of that up and join this mess because of a couple of hours? Nobody in their right mind would do something like that.”

Liam let out a deep breath, shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter, the moment has passed. I’m sure she’s moved on.”

“Li, you literally changed history for this woman. You mean to tell me that you’re not even going to try?”

“I changed history for myself.” Liam corrected him.

“Fine, you changed history for yourself, but it was because of her.” Drake rolled his eyes. “You’ve got a couple of weeks before the tour starts, right?” Liam nodded. “Okay, so take care of all the press and that stuff now, once that’s died down, fly out to New York and find her. If she’s going to reject you, at least have her reject you to your face so you know for sure.”

A silence took over the room as Liam considered Drake’s words.

“At least think about it.” Drake finally spoke up.

Liam locked eyes with his friend. “Thank you, Drake”

Drake nodded and took his leave, not wanting to push any further. It was a decision Liam would need to make on his own.

As Liam walked to his room, the king’s quarters, he found himself more conflicted than ever. He thought that his announcement would leave him feeling lighter, more at ease with his new role as king. However after his talk with Drake, he had so much more to think about. Should he return to New York? Was it possible that he could still have a chance with Riley?

He needed to start focusing on his duties as king, but once again, he couldn’t get her out of his mind.

Permatag:

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Hands Down:

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#self reblog #hey queue #the royal romance #liam x riley #liam x mc #trr fandom #trr fanfic #trr fan fiction

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klanddwlover · 2 years ago

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Hello 👋 friends you may remember me as @kingliamandriley. I left tumblr for a while but I’m ready to return. I would like to start a new series something smutty with Liam / Drake and Riley. If you have a request please feel free to comment and I’ll see what I can come up with.

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

Please share this so I can let my other followers know. @kingliam2019 @tessa-liam @texaskitten30 @queenwalton @twinkleallnight @princessleac1

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cordonian-literature · 4 years ago

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The Aftermath - Ch. 34

Happy Birthday, Ella

Summary: It’s Eleanor’s 18th birthday

Word Count: ~2.6k

A/N: big time jump!

A/N 2: ahhh this is the last chapter!! the one before this was sort of a conclusion but in this one is more like... the aftermath of the aftermath, haha. anyway, this was more than difficult to get out, firstly because i absolutely suck at conclusions so if this is terrible, sorry :( and secondly because this is my first fic and i really can’t believe it’s finished! am i crying? maybe... anywayyy, thank you all so much for reading!! i hope you’ve enjoyed this series as much as i’ve enjoyed writing it!! <3

Warnings: mention of character death

*All characters belong to Pixelberry, except those that are unique to my story (I’ve also used some characters and fictional instances from Donna Tartt’s book, “The Goldfinch”)*

Tags: @captain-kingliamsqueen @gkittylove99 @lovablegranny @iam-the-kind-and-thoughtful @mom2000aggie @kingliam2019 @queenrileyrose @shanzay44 @cordonianroyalty @hopefulmoonobject @hopelessromanticmonie @twinkle-320 @amandablink @texaskitten30 @pens-girl-87 @ladyangel70 @sanchita012 @cordonianprincess @cordonia-gothqueen @queenwalton @yourmajesty09 @alj4890 @choicesbutterfly

- Eleanor -

I sit at the empty desk across from my bed. There is nothing in front of me, but I stare at my neat piles of notebooks and novels: some that Daddyo had recommended to me, others that I had borrowed from his library.

My bedroom door is open. From the hall, I hear the tapping of Roger’s paws and the light thuds of Fabian’s footsteps. The noise of their arrival lightly raises me from my seat and my tired thoughts. I walk out of my room and go after them.

Roger runs away from Fabian with something in his mouth. My little brother giggles as he runs after our dog, struggling to keep up with him. The dog weaves through crowds of servants, making its way towards the front of the palace.

Fabian sighs, frustrated. I put my hand on his shoulder and urge him to continue on with me.

Once we reach the front doors, we see that Roger has stopped running and is having his belly rubbed by Aunt Rowan, while her oldest son, Rowell, races towards my brother.

Rowell and Fabian run off quickly, already in the midst of a game. Lord Maxwell gives me a side hug, holding his and Aunt Rowan’s youngest son to his side.

I hug Aunt Rowan, then give the little babe a kiss on his chubby cheek. I lead them towards the sitting room, where Mama drinks tea with Duchess Hana and Duchess Olivia.

After the adults are all seated, they usher me out of the room. I giggle, saying that there’s nothing they have to hide from me, but I know what they’re planning and agree to leave.

Outside the sitting room, I decide to go look for Gabe and Daddyo, hoping that their meeting with the dignitary was over. I check my watch and see that they should have been done about a half-hour ago, but I know my brother had probably gone on overtime.

He had started taking his duties more seriously as of late, and I know it’s because of the talk Daddyo had with us at Applewood. He had insisted that I come along into town with them and receive the same speech, even though I said I was fine with staying behind.

Gabriel and I had laughed when Daddyo told us that he was the heir and I was the spare. The silly phrase wasn’t the only thing that sent us into a fit of laughter, but it was also a bit of disbelief. My brother and I weren’t naive; we knew what the people of the court had to say about me being a member of the royal family. Daddyo never failed to remind us that their opinions didn’t matter and that I was his daughter no matter what anyone said, but of course, people kept talking.

Sometimes I wanted to argue with him and say that keeping my last name as Blaise — while Gabe’s had been changed to Rys years ago — would keep me from being fully considered his daughter, even though he had officially adopted me when he married my mother.

But I knew such arguments were ones that broke his heart. The smallest change in my behavior made him fear that I no longer considered him my father, which was heartwarming, in a sense, but also depressing. (When I was about twelve, I had thought calling him “Daddyo” was too childish, so like Gabe I called him “Dad.” One morning he pulled me to the side and with the saddest eyes asked me if I was upset with him, or if he had done something to anger me. I laughed it off but went back to calling him “Daddyo” immediately. Though I cringed every time I said it, it was better than upsetting the only man who had ever felt like a true father to me).

And so most of my daily thoughts were now consumed by the anger I had for my biological father — everything he did to my family, and to the nation and people I had come to love — but I was slowly coming to terms with it. Even though I was ashamed of him, I was accepting the fact that he could no longer dictate my life or the lives of those I love.

These past few months marked ten years after the bombing. When my father had died, and Gabe and I had been in the hospital waiting for Mama to get better, I had been childishly angry at him. My last clear memory with my biological father had been reminding him to take pictures of the new exhibit at The Met so I could get a glimpse of what he and my mother would see. He was never able to show me those photos. That is, if he even took any.

But that was a different kind of frustration. One that, if my little brother Fabian expressed, I would sadly laugh at and explain to him the seriousness of the situation.

Theodore’s actions had controlled all of us, even Daddyo, Uncle Drake, Lord Maxwell, and Duchess Hana.

But now we are all in control of our lives again. Uncle Drake and Duchess Olivia had done honorable work with the King’s Guard. Lord Maxwell and Aunt Rowan had married a few months after my parents did, and a year later Duke Rashad married Hana — around the time Fabian was born. Daddyo eventually mended his relationship with Uncle Leo, and every few months his family would come to visit us.

Any person who was a threat, such as Boris — his betrayal was one that broke my childish heart, but not a day passed where I missed him— and Uncle Drake’s ex-fiancée, Jessica, were spending the rest of their lives behind bars.

It had taken our parents a while to tell us everything, and when they finally did, it took even longer for us to come to terms with it all. But Daddyo and Mama never pushed us away when we needed to talk to them.

As I walk up the stairs to Daddyo’s office, I take deep breaths, allowing the concerns to flow out of me. Before I knock on the door, my mind is clear.

I smile to myself as I reach for the handle, memories of our obstacles so far behind us that I feel foolish worrying about them at all.

Inside, Daddyo, Gabe, Fabian, and Rowell are crowded around something on the desk. Everyone turns to face me.

“Is it time for the party?” Rowell asks.

“Shush!” Fabian elbows his friend while Gabe and Daddyo laugh.

Once the boys are done scolding each other, Daddyo asks, “What do you think about eating out for lunch?”

“Same restaurant?” Fabian questions.

“Unless you wish to go someplace else?”

I shake my head, then link my arm through his. “No, I like that place.”

As we walk out the doors of the palace, we spot Uncle Leo, Aunt Katie, Hunter, and Heather with bags in their hands. Once they see us, they lightly toss those bags back into their limo, and they join us in our car to go eat lunch.

We had eaten in this restaurant on my eighth birthday, which had been only a week after Mama and Daddyo had come back from their honeymoon. My family came here often, and Uncle Leo liked joining us.

We enter the restaurant and see that the place is empty. The menus are put in front of us, and we order without looking at it. Fabian and Rowell talk between themselves, and Heather tells me about their flight, while Uncle Leo asks Gabe how he’s feeling.

Gabe shakes his head, an amused look on his face. “You know, I thought this would all be overwhelming. I was scared that the pressure would bring the anxiety back, but it didn’t.”

Uncle Leo pats my brother’s back. “Now tell me about that girl you mentioned in that course you took.”

Gabe’s face goes red, and he gives a little laugh. Aunt Katie raises her eyebrows, while Daddyo urges him to talk.

My brother leans back in his seat, the amusement increasing. “I’m think I’m gonna draft a letter to her.”

“Oh?” Aunt Katie takes a sip of her drink.

“I’m planning on asking her to join the next Social Season. That reminds me.” He cuts off and looks towards our father.

But before he can say anything, Uncle Leo goes, “Gabe, go to your dad when you want to know what not to do. Take my advice instead—”

Hunter interrupts him: “You say that like your advice doesn’t backfire on the regular.”

“Poor soul is speaking from experience,” Heather whispers to me. Daddyo overhears her, and laughs with us.

We leave as soon as we finish our meal, not considering dessert. The ride back to the palace is filled with smooth conversations and laughs. As the limo stops in front of the entrance, everyone tells me to exit the vehicle first.

Tentatively, I crawl out the car and make my way up the stairs. Servants open the doors for me, and the entire room is flooded with balloons, decorations, and sweets.

My mother kisses my cheek, then Daddyo and Gabe wrap me in a hug. Fabian runs off quickly with Rowell.

The rest of my parents’ friends continue giving me birthday wishes, until Fabian finally reemerges with an envelope in his hand. Everyone crowds around me as I open it and take out a thin, rectangular piece of paper.

“It’s a bookmark!” Fabian cries as I examine it. I turn it over in my hands, feeling the soft edges against my skin. On the other side, there’s a drawing of six stick figures. Fabian puts his finger on the bookmark, and I bring it to his eye level.

“That’s you with the books since you like reading,” he tells me. “That’s Daddy and Mom since they have the crowns, and Gabe is the one with the smaller crown, and that’s me and Roger, and that’s our home in the background.” I follow his finger as he points to his little drawings. “I know it’s not very good, but I didn’t know what else to get you!” He giggles as I further examine it.

“No one knew what to get her,” Gabe comments. “Little Miss—” he takes on a high pitched voice— “Oh, you don’t have to get me anything! No, really, I don’t want anything!”

The room of friends laugh and chuckle at the mocking voice.

I go through everyone else’s gifts, which are mostly things that I can use, but don’t need and didn’t ask for; like Fabian said, everyone had wanted to get me something, but I was in need of nothing. I know that Uncle Maxwell was more than frustrated when I told him so, and he must have been even more upset when he couldn’t get any hints out of my parents either. His and Aunt Rowan’s present to me are new pointe shoes.

Duchess Olivia had started giving me more self-defense lessons, so her gift to me is a stiletto knife, along with stiletto shoes.

Duke Rashad and Duchess Hana give me a pearl necklace: when the Duchess had taught me how to paint, we had made portraits of each other and had illustrated pearls on our pictures. The portrait I had made of his wife was the Duke’s favorite.

Uncle Leo and Hunter give me new paint brushes and a steel paint easel. Heather hands me a cup with a picture of her and I on it — I had given her something similar for her birthday — and Aunt Katie gives me a cute bag.

Uncle Drake gifts me a new pair of skis: last winter and during the Social Season, we had raced down a slope and I had lost both times. “So you can practice a bit more next time we head to Lythikos,” he tells me with a pat on my back.

Gabriel hands me a heavy box. My arms burn as I make my way towards a table and put it down. Inside are books that are on my to-read list, candies that we had tried and liked on our last family trip to Italy, a bracelet with charms, and gold earrings shaped like a crescent moon. “You didn’t give me any clues for what you wanted, so I just put all of them in there,” my brother says with a shrug.

Mama and Daddyo’s gift is next. My father wraps me in a large hug, then holds me to his side as servants roll in a new Baroque piano — it was similar to the one I had seen in a museum the last time we visited Applewood. The old one was being wheeled out; I had played it daily in the last few years, both for the entertainment of my family and for important members of the nobility, and even though it was constantly cared for, the strings had started to become dusty. I knew we wouldn’t get rid of it; I was sure that Daddyo had plans to donate it, but again I felt that there was no need for a newer one. We could have just taken more care of the one we had.

But I don’t complain. I could never complain for this group of people who love me so dearly. I accept hugs from everyone in the room, and then the cake is brought out. The frosting looks like a painting, and is sweetly smooth as we eat it, the icing staining the corners of our mouths.

We sit and chat about nothing at all, simply enjoying the blissful companionship that came with family and beloved friends. I had told my parents that I didn’t want a big party, and this was exactly what I had in mind. The room is light and joyful: Uncle Maxwell tells jokes while Uncle Drake rolls his eyes, Mama throws her head back, Daddyo’s arm around her while he tries his best not to laugh, and Uncle Leo, Hunter, and Gabe wipe tears from their eyes.

The rest of the party is spent like that. The irreplaceable friendships that had went from nothing, to everything, to nothing again, then beyond the meaning of intimacy that came with being understood. It fills the rooms of the palace as it has these last ten years.

I think about the gifts I’ve been given today, wondering where I would put them in my room — except for the piano, which I will leave in the ballroom — and how I will use them. I smile when I remember Gabe’s joke about my refusing presents.

I don’t think he understands that I didn’t wish for specific objects because I can’t remember the last time I longed for anything, and if I ever did, there was no request that Daddyo wouldn’t strive to fulfill. My life had never felt lonely or without purpose, and I think that means I’ve found happiness. Like everyone in this room.

Daddyo notices that I’ve zoned out a bit. From the corner of my eye I can see the gentle wrinkles on his face and the graying roots of his hair. He leans towards me and plants a kiss on my forehead. “Happy birthday, Ella dear. I love you.”

I smile at him, then use my fork to steal a bit of icing off his cake. Fabian follows suit, and soon our dad’s cake has no frosting on it.

The three of us laugh, and with a mouth full of sugar I say, “I love you, too, Daddyo.”

#the royal romance #choices the royal romance #choices trr fanfic #choices the royal romance fanfic #choices the royal heir fanfic #trr #trr au fanfic #liam x mc #liam x mc fanfic #maxwell x oc #choices fanfic #trr fanfic #choices trr #the royal romance fanfic

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tessa-liam · 1 month ago

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W.I.P. Wednesday

🍁Unspoken Words

Chapter 16 - Marabelle Series Masterlist

"I was planning to ... but couldn’t find the right moment. That night, you were asking me to marry you and ... and then ... then that was the farthest thing from my mind.” She said bluntly, watching his reaction carefully.

Her statement is calm, reasonable and meant as an explanation, not an apology, but Liam stared at her for a moment, remembering the conversation.

Remembering the pure joy on her face ... in their special spot by the river; remembering how elated she had looked while her words saying "yes" rang through his heart.

He hung his head and let his hands rub along her arms and finally joined around her shoulders to pull her in.

"I should have taken you to Italy with me," he whispered.

"Yeah, you should have," she quipped.

🍁All Hallow's Eve

Chapter 1 - Royal Adventures Series

🍂🎃 🍂🎃🍂🎃🍂🎃🍂🎃🍂🎃🍂

📌 @choicesficwriterscreations

📌 @choicescommunityevents

📌perma-tags: @bascmve01 @busywoman @kristinamae093 @differenttyphoonwerewolf @kingliam2019 @ao719 @alj4890 @emkay512 @karahalloway @twinkleallnight @malblk21 @tinkie1973 @queenmiarys @emersyn-in-cordonia @dutifullynuttywitch @charlotteg234 @lovingchoices14 @selina012

📌Smoke & Mirrors: @jared2612 @walkerdrakewalker

📌Royal Adventures: @queenwalton @mockingjay19

📌Marabelle: @kyra75 @jared2612 @yourmajesty09 @generallyfurytaco @selina012

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bebepac · 1 year ago

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@queenwalton Thank you for reading 📚 and sharing my work 🥰🥰🥰🥰

Moonlight Rendevous

I am participating in @choicesflashfics prompt # 40 “I have a reputation to uphold” which will appear in bold.

I am also participating in @choicesjuly2023challenge and @moodmusicmonday song inspiration Rendevous by Little Mix

This is chapter 5 of The Blue Honey Cafe if you need to catch up on this, please feel free to click:

The Blue Honey Cafe Masterlist

The Book: TRR : No royals The pairings: None: TRR MC is single Ratings and Warnings: None Word Count: 1382 Original Post: 07/08/23 at 6:12PM EST. Summary: Riley sees Mason while she’s out and about for an evening.

Keep reading

#bebepac writes #choices fanfiction #trr fanfic #trr fandom #trr riley brooks #trr mason #the blue honey cafe

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flutistbyday-1 · 3 years ago

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JDG update

I'm editing JDG for clarity and to rid of errors. I'm going to re-upload it. Starting that today. Expect lots of notifications.

Love, Red.

PERMA

@kingliam2019

@glaimtruelovealways

@drakewalker04

@kimmiedoo5

@imthequeenofcordonia

@texaskitten30

@dcbbw

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@custaroonie

@shz256

@hopefulmoonobject

@sanchita012

@bebepac

@ac27dj

@we-lazystudent

@losingbraincellseveryday

@mom2000aggie

JOHN DEERE GREEN

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@maxwellisangry

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@cordonianroyalty

@wesludgefactoryaic

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@theeccentricbibliophile

@drakewalker04

@cordonianroyalty

@bloodboundchoices

@axwalker

@patriciaanchrist2019

@gardeningourmet

@euvickmarketing

@theroyalromanceforever

@kate-mckenzie

@the-food-hole

@axwalker

@bloodboundchoices

#flutistbydaywrites #flutistbyday john deere green #trr john deere green #trr madeleine #trr drake walker #trr liam x mc

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lovablegranny · 4 years ago

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The Royal Romance Heir in Real Life,

King Christopher and Queen

Patricia were in a last-minute meeting called by the council.

The Royals went off, and the Queen read the room and then snapped.

The King finally found his balls, and they had gotten quite large.

Bartholomey had informed the King and Queen that he was labeling them unfit to raise their own child and appointed himself Regent. When Bartholomey reached for the baby, all hell broke loose.

The King and Queen both stepped back while preparing to go into Poppa and Mamma bear mode. The Queen gently placed her hand on her husband's shoulder, signaling him to allow her to handle it.

The King reluctantly agreed and turned to Olivia and handed the child to her. He gave her a look that she recognized as a signal to protect the child with her life -- something she would do regardless of being asked.

Olivia stepped away with the child, taking her into another room to avoid upsetting her.

The Queen waited patiently until Olivia and the baby were out of sight, then turned to face the council.

"Now, let me make sure I have this correct. All of you got together and planned amongst yourselves that my husband, your King, and I, your Queen, are not fit to raise our child? Is that what you all are saying? I wanna make sure that I'm getting this straight."

The entire room went quiet, except for Bartholomey.

The Queen quickly held her hand up, shutting him up so she could speak. "You have no idea as to what you've just done. So, let me enlighten every one of you right now, so there"s no misunderstandings. How in the hell are you going to give our child to a man who squandered all of his house funds and left his two sons to almost become homeless and starve while he pretended to be in a coma for many years?

We have a daughter, and with all the pedophiles in the world, you all want us to give him our daughter to raise? Sure, this would be easy for you, Adelaide. Something like this is not new to you; you allowed the male cooks and the housekeepers to raise Madeline. And Landon, you bought your daughter dogs to keep her company, so you didn't have to talk to her. And Hakeem, you and your wife really need to accept the fact that your son is gay and stop trying to make him what he's not.

Now, back to you, Bartholomey, and please take notes if you need to."

The Queen walked up to Bartholomey, close enough to kiss him, and said, "I will kill you or anyone who tries to take my baby."

She then headbutts him, causing him to fall flat on his back.

The King reached for his Queen, but she looked at him with eyes of fire. The Queen's voice became deep with a hint of rage; he knew at that point that she had snapped.

She took off her jewelry and slipped off her heels. Before anyone could react, she flipped over the table that separated them from the group of nobles. Her yell echoed and boomed throughout the palace.

The Queen reached under her dress, pulled out a Glock, pointed it at Bartholomey's head, and said, "As Queen of Cordonia, I hereby sentence you, Bartholomey, to death."

She pulled the trigger.

The old man's lifeless body fell at the King's feet, who stood in shock at his Queen's actions.

Bastien was strangely silent and never moved to stop the Queen, nor did the King.

The Queen began to walk over to Landon and his wife and placed her gun to Landon's forehead, then tilted her head to the side and said, "Now, for the re-vote; who here agrees with this dead man, that my husband and I are unfit to raise our child? Speak now, or forever hold your peace!"

The voices that said nay sounded throughout the room.

The Queen turned and said, "That's what I thought!"

The King stepped up to his Queen, gently kissed her on the forehead, and took the gun out of her hand.

For the first time, the King spoke to his council members.

"I, along with my Queen, are very disappointed in every one of you. With that said, this council has proven itself untrustworthy and does not serve the purpose for which it was created. I don't know what Bartholomey had on each of you to make you turn on us with such vindictiveness and disloyalty. In truth, we don't care. I know that I cannot have people like you around me and my family."

The King motioned for Bastien to bring him his briefcase. He opened it, pulled out three folders, walked over to each noble, and handed them one with their house names.

He then instructed them to open their folder and read the contents. Each noble read the documents and a look of fear formed on their faces all at once.

"My Queen and I had these prepared months ago because we were preparing for something like this to happen, but we didn't know when we would need it

We wanted to make sure that we had all of the ammo we required to destroy whatever was being planned in those tiny little minds of

yours. Have you taken the time to look around and observe the fact that not all members are here for your treasonous vote of no

confidence? The bylaws strictly say: that all members of the council are required to hold such a vote. It also says: that if the members

are unable to show just cause, their votes were coerced, threatened harm to oneself, their family, or noble standing, the reigning monarch has the authority to enforce a sanction on those who had

brought said claim without proof.

You all let this man lying here to fill your heads with dreams or promises of things you didn't earn. And you let your greed for hunger and power blind you to the fact that you had no idea who you were dealing with. My father was a son-of-a-bitch, but I learned two things from him that has helped me my whole life: stay one step ahead of all of those you rule and be prepared for the bullshit.

My Queen and I have been preparing for your bullshit, and this is, as they say in chess -- Checkmate!"

The next morning the newspaper stated the King and Queen had stepped down, and all noble houses were to be broken up and unrolled. The only exceptions were: Ramsford, Lythikos, Fydelia, Domvalier, Cormery Isle, and Valtoria.

The King and Queen purchased Valtoria with their own money and lived in a democracy ever after.

#a709 #annekebbphotography #bbrandy2002 #cordonianroyalty #glamtruelovealways #kacie 0156 #kingliam2019 #queenwalton #mom2000aggie #texaskktten30

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phoenixrising0308 · 2 years ago

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Fandom Love: Thank you all!

I just wanted to take an opportunity to thank fandom for the gift of this platform. It's been a long bumpy ride for me as a writer but as someone who came on tumblr just to read. Tumblr has been full of many teachable moments for me, and I am humbled and grateful for it because it is all about growing to be a better person and learning from my mistakes. I started writing stories in 2019 and struggled to figure out what I wanted to post and how to develop my stories. Along the way, I meet some incredible people that I love and adore, and I am glad they are in my life. Thank you to those who read, reblog or interact with any of my posts or even me. I hope that I have given you content worthy of your time. I am rebuilding my blog after losing my first two, I still have stories to tell, and I sincerely hope you will continue to join me on this journey and I hope to continue to be a part of your tumblr journey where ever it may lead you.

With all my love - J

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kristinamae093 · 1 year ago

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Thanks for sharing @queenwalton 🖤

Ghosted

Ghosted - One Step Forward (Chapter Nine)

Catch up here.

Book/Pairing - TRR - Liam x MC (Riley Brooks)

A/N 1 - This AU starts right before the beginning of the engagement tour. There is a two-month lapse between the coronation and where we pick up, but we will stray from canon. Please excuse any errors found.

▪︎ Rated M for mature audiences - Series will contain NSFW material, violence, and graphic depictions. Not suitable for anyone under eighteen years of age. ▪︎

Characters belong to Pixelberry.

A couple of mornings later, Liam stood beside Madeleine with bright lights blinding his vision. They were arriving at an early interview with an international broadcast team to spread awareness of their upcoming union. They made their announcement of the updated tour a few days prior, and the public was very receptive. Constantine, Regina, Adelaide, and Godfrey all presented a united front for the cameras with Liam and Madeleine; the only one who seemed opposed was Godfrey, who said it was a ‘wasted opportunity’, but still went along with the majority and showed his support.

Ever since, Liam found himself incredibly uneasy. He knew it was a bold move, but hoped having everyone rally behind him would work to his advantage. So far, he had been correct in his assumption. However, he realized that could easily change at the drop of a dime. The current moment of peace was incredibly unsettling as everyone waited on pins and needles; the fear of the unknown, along with the plethora of endless unanswered questions, ran rampant through his mind. Despite his attempts to portray himself as a strong, dominant leader, he knew those closest to him could see right through the cracks.

Liam met Ray briefly the night before. He and Olivia explained everything they were working on and Liam couldn’t believe so much went by them. Even Olivia expressed the same notion, but they both agreed that having Ray in their corner gave them a sense of relief. Although, the stress of a rebuttal heavily loomed on everyone’s conscience; all they could do was follow the leads they had, and hope for the best.

As they entered the studio, a boisterous voice caught Liam’s attention. They hollered at a few stagehands close by, drawing the attention of everyone around. “Do you not recognize this beautiful face? Let me in, baby doll. I need to get to my brother.”

The woman shook her head. “I’m sorry, sir, but I can’t let you in without authorization.”

“I’m sure you can make an exception, can’t you?”

“No, I can’t–”

“Cummon… I know you know who I am, or who I used to be, anyway…”

“I apologize, but I can’t just–”

Liam approached and gave the woman a sheepish smile. “My sincerest apologies, but he is with me.” The woman flushed, but nodded and stepped aside.

“My man!” Liam suddenly found himself enveloped in a tight hug, his feet nearly lifting off the floor. “It’s so good to see you, Li.”

“You as well, but what the hell are you doing here, Leo?”

Leo flashed a smile as he pulled away. “I got a call from a little bird who said and I quote, ‘your brother needs some kind of emotional reinforcements; please come and assist before his tears stain all of my clothes’.”

Liam chuckled before he asked, “Liv?”

Leo nodded. “Yup. She did not give me details, however…”

“I’ll fill you in as soon as possible, but we have to be careful.”

“Say less. How are you, man?” Leo took in Liam’s tired eyes and slightly slouched posture, and knew he wasn’t doing the best. However, Leo could admit Liam must have stepped up his stoicism game; if Leo didn’t know exactly what to look for, he would be oblivious to Liam’s struggle just like everyone else.

“I’m fine, Leo.” Leo stared at Liam with a knowing expression. Liam let out a slight huff and emphasized, “I am, I mean – my mind’s racing a million miles an hour at all times with a plethora of what ifs, but…”

“We need to catch up properly later, brother.”

“That we do, Leo.” Liam gave him a sad smile before Leo pulled him into another hug. “Thank you for coming. It means a lot, especially now.”

“I always got you, Li, always.” Leo tightened his grip on Liam.

The stagehand from before approached the pair and timidly spoke, “Sir? They’re ready for you.”

The brothers stepped away from each other and Leo playfully punched Liam on the arm. “Go get ‘em, tiger.”

Liam walked away with a small smile and made his way back over to Madeleine. Madeleine made eye contact with Leo; she narrowed her eyes and visibly clenched her jaw, to which Leo smirked and blew her a kiss.

They ushered Liam and Madeleine around the studio and sat them on a couch in a small, but ornate set. The only other people in the vicinity were the camera crew, Leo and Penelope. Liam was undeniably tense, but knew this was what needed to happen; at least until they could get a solid lead, pointing them to what transpired with Riley. He had no other choice but to conform and show whoever was holding the cards that he was playing along.

After only a few moments, a tall woman with a slender frame appeared and bowed to the pair. “Your Majesties, I am Vivica Whittaker, a lead reporter for the International Gazette. It’s an honor to be here with you.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Whittaker. We’re thrilled to be here. Aren’t we darling?” Madeleine asked Liam, her face trained in a bright smile.

“Of course,” Liam replied, trying to mimic her elated expression.

“Let’s get started, shall we? I understand you were on an international engagement tour, but decided at the last minute to stay in Cordonia. Can you explain the thought process behind that?”

“We have decided for the greater good of Cordonia we are going to tour our homeland. International support is important to us, and we plan to go on our intended venture at some point. However, we feel we need strength within our borders first.” Liam answered.

“We hope that by doing so, the people will see us as the united front that we are.” Madeleine beamed at Liam, the sight causing his breakfast to roll in his stomach. “Cordonia is our number one priority.”

“How is that going? Are the two of you enjoying your travels?”

“Indeed, we are,” Madeleine claimed. “It’s like living a fairytale every day with Liam. He makes me feel special and valued, like I’m the only woman who’s ever mattered.”

“What a special connection the two of you must have! Your Majesty, do you have anything to add?”

“I echo Countess Madeleine’s sentiments,” Liam responded in a flat tone. He wanted to scream his true feelings for all to hear, but kept his intrusive thoughts at bay. He cleared his throat and quickly added, “The sudden changes have gone over well, and we are thankful for that. To our international counterparts, I’d like to once again extend my sincerest apologies, and we hope you’ll consider joining us.”

“How do you balance your work and personal life, sir? I understand the busy life of a monarch, and I’d assume it would be fairly difficult to find the time to spend with your fiancé.”

“I make it work.”

“He’s being modest. He continuously blows me away, making sure I know just how much he loves me.” Madeleine reached for Liam’s hand and threaded their fingers together. “I know how much he cares, and that’s all that matters.”

“You two are couple goals!” Vivica clapped her hands. “But I have to address the — elephant in the room.” She spoke to Liam specifically. “The night of your coronation, you chose a different suitor in front of Countess Madeleine. Can you tell me what was going through your head at that moment, and how it has affected your current relationship?”

Liam could only stare at the woman before him. The lighting suddenly felt like infrared, beating directly down on his face. Sweat drenched his brow in an instant, and moisture gathered in the palms of his trembling hands. He counted to ten to steady his rapidly thumping heart, swallowed thickly, and responded in the calmest manner he could. “A lot was going through my mind that night and I wasn’t thinking clearly. I didn’t see the answer sitting right in front of me the entire time, and I regret not seeing it for so long…” He trailed off.

Although he hoped it was a vague answer, the truth the statement held momentarily hit Liam like a ton of bricks – because it was true, just in a different context. Until he opened his eyes to the truth, questions about that night were easy to divert; now, it was simply a daily reminder, a constant trigger for his unending guilt. He momentarily let himself get lost in the never-ending sea of things he didn’t do or neglected, further letting this chaos fuel itself.

Madeleine noticed his forlorn expression and babbled to direct attention back to herself. “He’s more than made up for his errors in judgment since then, and I hold no animosity toward him. What kind of woman would that make me if I did, Vivica?”

Vivica looked at Madeleine in awe. “You truly are such a role model. Let me ask what your thoughts are about the scandal against Lady Riley. She was one of the top contenders, some even saying above you before her scandalous departure.”

Liam visibly tensed beside her, but Madeleine straightened her posture and smoothly answered, “We have since moved on from that as well. We truly hope Lady Riley and Lord Tariq are happy, and we thank them for ridding themselves of our court.”

Madeleine shook her head and studied Liam with tears dancing in her eyes. “I can’t believe she would do such a thing to the people who gave her a life here. She betrayed her future King; he did nothing wrong, all he did was offer her the world. For her to throw it away, throw him away, as if he was irrelevant breaks my heart. But I’m thankful in the end; I’m the one who got to pick up the pieces.” She stroked his cheek, her vacant, calculated stare piercing into his soul.

Liam had to use all of his willpower to force a smile. Her touch felt like slime; it took every ounce of strength not to slap her hand away. He knew she was good, but not this good – if he didn’t know any better, he would believe her, too.

Vivica peered at them with longing eyes. “I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say I’m glad everything worked out in the end. Where is your next stop on your engagement tour?”

“The next official event is in Portavira. However, tonight I will celebrate our upcoming nuptials with my closest confidants at my bachelorette party.” Madeleine smiled.

The rest of the interview concluded without incident, nothing exciting or newsworthy; it was mostly Vivica and Madeleine speaking of the wedding arrangements, as well as Madeleine discussing her plans as a future monarch. Liam interacted when appropriate but stayed silent otherwise. Although he carefully kept the appearance that he was listening to the women as they animatedly spoke before him.

When the questions concluded, Liam quickly stood and made his way over to Leo, who was talking to a brunette beside the refreshment table. Liam cleared his throat as he approached, and Leo shooed the woman away. “You didn’t have to do that, Leo.”

“Nah, she was killing my vibe, anyway.” Leo snickered. “Dude, I almost thought you really loved Madeleine. Like, wow. You guys are fucking convincing!”

“Thanks, I guess.”

A bout of silence overtook the brothers as Leo tried to think of what to say. He remained unsure of what was going on, as they hadn’t received the chance to speak in a private setting. “Hey, Li, did I hear her right? It’s her bachelorette party tonight?”

“Yep.” Liam slightly chuckled. “It’s not funny, but… Olivia has to go.”

Leo howled with laughter. “What do you mean ‘not funny’?! That’s hilarious!”

“She doesn’t think so. I believe her exact words were, ‘We’ll see if I make it through the night without making a kabob out of her’.’’

“Good. Saves us a lot of trouble.” The brothers shared a small laugh, but another stillness came shortly after. “Li, if the devil is gonna be busy anyway, let’s go do something, man; take your mind off all this bullshit.”

“I’ll try, but–”

“No, no buts. You need to get out of here for a bit; let your hair down, and try to relax.”

Liam scoffed. “Relaxing is the last thing I should do right now, Leo. You don’t understand what’s been going on–”

“Exactly! How can I help if I don’t know what the hell we’re dealing with?”

“You’re… right…” Liam sighed, as he truly considered the offer. “Okay, we’ll do something later.”

“Way ahead of you, brother. Figured you’d need an escape after a morning of press ops, so I booked us a spa for the afternoon. Even secured enough spaces to bring Max and Drake along.”

Before Liam could respond, Madeleine’s voice rang out through the nearly deserted studio. “Penelope! Where the hell is my lemonade?!” Both watched Penelope scurry toward Madeleine and timidly offer her the drink. Madeleine took a sip and practically threw it back at her. “What is that?! I asked for sweetened, you imbecile!”

Penelope shrieked as the cold liquid covered her face and drenched her hair. “I–I–”

“I–I–” Madeleine mocked. “FIX IT!” she bellowed, causing Penelope to flinch and run away.

Leo scoffed. “Wow.”

“Tell me about it,” Liam answered. “All day, every fucking day.”

“So we have upgraded ultra cunt to super duper ultra cunt? Free of charge?”

“Unfortunately, so. This is mild compared to some of the things I’ve witnessed. Once, she made Penelope cut her skirt and put it on the ground so she wouldn’t have to walk through a puddle.” Liam rolled his eyes. “She’s absolutely out of control.”

“Why’s Penelope letting her treat her that way?”

Liam shrugged. “I would guess to appease the soon-to-be Queen and try to stay on her good side.”

“That seems extreme.”

“If the past couple of weeks have taught me anything, it’s that nobles will go to extreme measures to get what they want…” Liam trailed off, an air of sadness and regret notable in his tone.

Leo clapped Liam on the back, reassuringly squeezing his shoulder. “Come on man; fuck them, fuck the court, let’s go relax.”

Liam sighed. “Leo, I want to, but I need–”

“You need to relax for a bit, Li. Spend some time with your brother. Whatever is going on, Olivia is handling. Let her do her thing, and let’s unwind a bit.”

Liam remained hesitant to agree, but Leo made a valid point. Plus, the thought of being away from everyone telling him how to act and who to be sounded incredibly cathartic. A small smile crept onto his face and he finally answered, “Alright, let’s go.”

“Bet, I’ll call tweedle-dee and tweedle-dumb.”

Liam and Leo met up with Drake and Maxwell a short time later and made their way over to the spa Leo reserved. As they arrived, everyone started in a changing room, where they shed their clothes and wrapped themselves in warm towels. A staff member led them to a big, ornate room with one larger pool in the middle and another smaller one to the side.

They lowered themselves down into the bigger area, each letting out a content sigh of relief. Liam reached for the tray of drinks that was left for them and passed them around to the group.

Leo sighed as he sat back and took a long swig from his glass. “You know, this cider is still one of the best spirits I’ve tasted – and I’ve sampled a lot.”

“I don’t think being an alcoholic classifies as bragging rights.” Drake retorted.

“Ha!” Leo howled. “Are you fucking kidding me, Mr. ‘all I drink is whiskey’?”

“Whiskey isn’t just alcohol, it’s art – thank you very much.”

“It’s alright, but what about literally anything else?”

“I don’t need a pussy drink to get a buzz,” Drake responded with a shrug.

“What about my pineapple paradise punch? You love that, right?” Maxwell asked, his expression hopeful.

“Nope, sure don’t. I only drank it last time because you hid all the whiskey, didn’t you?”

Maxwell sank further into the pool. “No……”

“Mm hmmm, bullshit. I’m on to you, Beaumont. I’m lucky I didn’t start my period drinking that frilly shit!”

“Man, I remember the last time I had that stuff. Well, barely…” Leo recalled as he stared off into space with a crooked smile.

“Yeah, isn’t that when you got caught with your pants around your ankles behind the staircase at your last Bash?” Liam chimed in as he hid a mischievous grin behind his glass.

Leo’s eyes shot open, his jaw dropping instantaneously. “Dude! You swore you’d never tell!”

Liam snickered. “I didn’t tell them — you did, right after it happened.”

“For real?” Leo asked Maxwell and Drake.

“Oh, yeah.”

“Big time.”

“Huh…” Leo raised his glass and took a sip. “Well, no shame in my game, I guess.” He said with a shrug. “Needed to rub one out and I couldn’t find a decent selection. It was that, or try to get it up for Maddy.”

“That’s still pretty fuckin’ weird,” Drake responded with a mortified expression.

“No, what was strange was when he continued even after being caught,” Liam interjected with a shudder.

“What was I supposed to do?! Put it away?”

“Uh, yeah… Regina was absolutely mortified.”

Drake downed the contents of his glass in one gulp. He forcefully sat it down next to him and stood. “On that note, I’m gonna hit the cold plunge for a bit; soothe my bones.”

“Alright, Grandpa.” Leo chided.

“Fuck you, Rys.”

“Can I come?” Maxwell asked with a hopeful expression.

Drake pondered it as he looked from Liam to Leo and sighed before he finally relented. “Fine. But I swear to God – if you say one word about a goddamn peacock–”

“I won’t!” Maxwell exclaimed as he climbed out and ran toward the smaller pool. Drake reluctantly followed behind, shaking his head and grumbling to himself as he went.

Liam and Leo laughed at Drake and Maxwell’s antics before a tense silence came over them. Liam submerged himself in the water and lay with his neck against the edge, trying his hardest to let the gentle ripples wash his worries away. Leo racked his brain, trying to calculate how to approach the conversation that brought him here; Olivia gave no information over the phone, but he knew if she was calling, it was something serious. Leo also recognized Liam would not reach out for help; even if he was on fire and needed water, Liam would suffer in silence and shoulder the burden alone.

Leo was there to ensure that did not happen, no matter what.

Leo drained the contents left in his glass and sat it down before he started, “So… Seems like you’re a little on edge...”

Liam scoffed. “That’s an understatement.”

“Oh? Anything you want to talk about?”

Liam sighed and sat up. He kept his gaze on the pool water in front of him as he softly answered. “I just have so many unanswered questions…”

“Riley?” Liam nodded, so Leo continued. “What exactly happened?”

Liam cautiously looked around the room, leaned in, and quietly told Leo everything they knew. He left out the grimy details regarding the maid’s murder, but redacted nothing otherwise. When he finished, Leo stared wide-eyed into the pool in front of him, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. “Wow…”

“Yeah… I can’t wrap my head around everything. I knew something was off, but I let everyone around me convince me I was wrong to feel that way.”

“You mean father?”

Liam nodded with a remorseful expression. “Yes, along with Madeleine, Regina a few times, and not to mention the tabloids. I look back now and wonder how I could have been so stupid, so blind to the truth.”

“Look, I know how relentless our father can be. How do you think I ended up engaged to Madeleine? I didn’t pick her because I wanted to — I chose her because he made me feel like I had to. He hounded me day and night about it. Again, why do you think I was constantly escaping from Bastien?”

“I know you understand how he can be. But once again, I feel like I’m being backed into a corner. Even with the alternative route on the tour, we’re still running out of time and we’re no closer to getting answers than before. I know I must marry Madeleine, but how can I even fathom such an idea when there’s a very good possibility someone plotted to put her there?”

“You think that was their goal?”

Liam finally turned his gaze from the pool in front of him to Leo. Leo saw a world of emotions flicker through Liam’s eyes, his bright blue orbs darkening to nearly black. The unending rage he felt flourished; coursing through his body and creating a tidal wave of unaddressed emotions.

“Absolutely. It’s the only theory that makes any kind of sense. Someone removed Riley from the situation and either staged or altered pictures to paint the scene that she left to be with Tariq. Someone blackmailed Olivia to force her away, and she would have been my second choice; Madeleine essentially won by default. In the two months between the coronation and the beginning of the engagement tour, nothing happened because I played right into their bullshit. Once I started asking questions and poking my nose around, they started eliminating loose ends.”

“That makes sense… you said something about a guy you hired?”

“Yes, but keep that between us. Bastien doesn’t even know his true intentions; nobody does besides a select few I know I can trust. I can’t risk another incident like with the maid; we can’t lose any more leads. He’s checking into the source of the article with Olivia and attempting to locate Tariq and Riley. Until he uncovers something or the forensics comes back, there’s nothing we can do.” Liam quietly answered and turned his gaze back to the pool in front of him, the dark clouds of despair threatening to take over once again.

A silence overcame them as Leo tried to figure out how to respond. However, Liam spoke again before he could. “Leo… the more time that passes, the more I feel like something truly terrible happened that night. There’s no reason for either of them to be completely untraceable. I mean, you know Tariq! The man is practically fucking useless out in the real world! There’s just no way…” He shook his head. “I can’t fathom it. Where did they go? Why hasn’t Bastien been able to find them?”

“Well, Li, you and I both know Bastien is kind of stupid. He didn’t even make running from him that hard, to be honest. That guy has the capabilities of a premature fucking kitten.”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Liam slightly laughed. “I know… but I’m hopeful Ray, er, Harold, will find something, anything leading to her whereabouts. I care about locating Tariq, but Leo – I need to see that she’s okay. As much as I hate to think about it, I know someone injured her before she left. That maid told us she was unsteady but seen walking down the hall, so I guess it’s reassuring that nobody carried her out, at least.” He spoke just above a whisper, his tears threatening to flow freely.

“Liam, I know what kind of pressure you were, and are still under. I understand, more than most. Honestly? I don’t know what I would have done in that situation; it’s an impossible thing that nobody should have to face.” Leo shrugged. “But… the most important thing is you’re doing what needs to be done, and that’s what matters now. We’re going to find them, Li, I just know it.”

“I… I’m trying to stay hopeful, Leo, I really am…”

Leo nodded with a sad grin before he quietly started again. “Liam… brother to brother… tell me, in all reality, are you going to marry Madeleine?”

Liam sighed and remained silent for a long while to gather his thoughts. “I–I’m not sure at this point. I don’t want to, but I know it is what’s expected of me.”

“Who says?”

“Tradition dictates that–”

“Liam, fuck tradition.” Leo interrupted. “You did what you were supposed to do to ascend the throne; from there, it’s your call what happens. I know you want to do right by those who have worn that crown before you, and I get that, I do – but you can pave your own way and do things how you see fit!”

Liam looked at Leo with a torn expression. He opened his mouth to respond but was silenced when Leo spoke again. “Liam, you are in control here, not anyone else. You can do whatever you want! You don’t have to let our father, or anyone else, dictate what you do. If you want to follow your heart and say fuck it all, there’s not a lot anyone can do to stop you!”

“What if people doubt me? What if the court questions my decision-making? Because as rough as it is to admit, you and I both know Madeleine would make a decent Queen! And they already think I’m unstable because of what happened at my coronation."

“Liam, fuck what people think. You’ve spent your entire life bending over backward for the throne, even when it wasn’t yours to inherit. You’ve never done a single goddamn thing for Liam. I heard stories about you and Riley during the season, and I wish I had been around to see it. I saw pictures of the two of you from the Regatta and I have never seen you so happy. If that happiness is within your reach, I want you to take it. Fuck everyone else.”

Liam didn’t respond, only kept his vision to the pool in front of them. Leo took in Liam’s dejected expression and added. “I also know about a certain clause that could be useful if you were to see fit…”

Liam sighed. “Trust me, I’m familiar with it. A part of me wants to call off the rest of the tour and the engagement alike, but I know that won’t help us figure out what happened to Riley. I’m convinced someone in the court is responsible, and to disperse them would make this more of a nightmare. For now, I must act as if I truly intend to marry Madeleine. I’m at least trying to project that I’m okay with it, but – you and I both know how she is, especially with a Crown in her sights.”

“Boy, do I.” Leo guffawed. “Listen… I understand why you’re continuing for now, but that doesn’t mean you have to go through with the wedding. You already know what to do to call it off; the only thing stopping you is yourself.”

“I just hope we can get some answers before I have to decide,” Liam responded with a heavy sigh.

“I’m sorry, Liam…If I never would have abdicated…”

“If you never would have abdicated, I never would have had a social season, which means I never would have gone to New York and ultimately never met Riley. She’s the greatest gift life has given me… All I can pray for is her safety, wherever she may be,” Liam replied with a sad smile.

Leo placed a reassuring hand on Liam’s shoulder. “We’re going to figure this out, Liam. I’ll do whatever I can to help you, and I’ll do the absolute most to keep dad off your ass.”

Liam half laughed and pulled Leo into a tight hug. “Thank you, Leo. It means the world that you dropped everything to come here for me.”

“That’s what big brothers are for,” Leo replied as he squeezed Liam tighter, hoping to calm his brothers’ heavy anxieties. He didn’t know what he could truly offer, but regardless, he was going to provide Liam with a sense of grounding; when the weight got to be too much, Leo would be there.

As Liam and Leo released each other from their embrace, Drake stalked toward them with Maxwell trailing behind. His face was red with exasperation and he walked with his hands balled at his sides, determination in his steps.

“Okay, I’m done entertaining Maxwell. Hope you two had a touching family bonding moment, but it’s over now.” Drake griped as he reached them.

“Oh, come on! I didn’t even mention peacocks!” Maxwell pleaded.

“No, but I shouldn’t have to tell you I don’t care how comfortable your nuts feel in your goddamn underwear!”

“They’re ball hammocks! I’m just trying to help you out!”

Liam and Leo shared a laugh at their nonsense. After some extra time at the spa, they agreed to rest and have dinner later. Liam smiled, knowing Madeleine should have already left for her festivities by now, so at least he knew he shouldn’t have to deal with her until morning. However, he couldn’t stop his mind from racing as he wondered how Olivia and Ray were faring, and if they had come across any answers.

Olivia bobbed and weaved her way through the mass of people in the high-end lounge hosting Madeleine’s party, Ray not far behind. Although this was the last place she wanted to be, she knew it was time to make her presence known; she was ready to go back into the lion’s den and rejoin the court.

So far, the search for Riley and Tariq brought no leads. Ray reassured Olivia that he still had places to look, but that only calmed her flourishing uncertainties for so long. On the plus side, he worked his magic and had insurmountable success with the article.

Ray hacked into multiple accounts and finally landed inside the photographer’s correspondence. The woman was merely a paparazzi and posted everything using a public computer. It was tricky, but he not only found the digital receipt for the bank transfer, but also the initial message requesting service. They offered a hefty payday, as well as detailed instructions for entering the estate and what specific shots would be required; attached at the end was a word-for-word story written out, only missing an author’s name. A comparison showed them the finished product mimicked what they sent word for word. When he tried to look into the sender’s information, Ray could not trace it; firewalls and other encryptions blocked him at every turn. Regardless, he stumbled upon a golden piece of evidence.

Ray deciphered the receipt and collected the account number of the sender. From there, he transferred the information to a well-trusted associate; someone Olivia had used herself for aid in the past. The goal was to attach a name to said account and then – they would finally have a solid lead.

Olivia was confident an answer was looming in their near future — it was so close she could practically taste the satisfaction of the victory on her tongue. In the meantime, it was time for her to ‘show her support’ and play pretend, the same as Liam. Olivia and Ray couldn’t think of anything else they could accomplish or uncover in the shadows; it was time to broaden their spectrum and test the waters of the nobility, starting with the other former suitors.

Olivia approached the table where the ladies were sitting and put her hands on her hips. “What a coincidence running into you here, Countess.” She chided.

Madeleine visibly tensed. “Olivia? What are you doing here?”

“Surprised to see me? Perhaps that’s because I didn’t receive an invitation to this little soiree.”

Madeleine clenched her jaw as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Can you blame me? Why would I want you here?”

“Well, first off, let’s not forget who the first choice was...”

Madeleine’s jaw fell to the floor. “How dare you,” she turned from her usual shade of porcelain to ruby in an instant, her annoyance escalating rapidly.

Olivia smiled warmly. “I didn’t mean it as a slight, my dear Maddy… I’m only stating facts. Regardless, you’re welcome.” She batted her eyelashes with an innocent expression.

“I owe you nothing,” Madeleine growled with narrowed eyes. “Why don’t you go crawl back to Lythikos and stab a tree, or some other barbaric nonsense that your kind practices?”

Olivia snickered. “Come on, Maddy, you know as well as I do that it's tradition for all the suitors to attend the engagement festivities. I’m only doing my part...”

Madeleine rolled her eyes. “Your presence is unappreciated, but noted. You may leave – now.” She emphasized, trying to shoo Olivia away with her hand.

Olivia howled with laughter but stopped as she took in Madeleine’s intent gaze. “Oh, you were serious?”

“Absolutely!”

Olivia plopped herself down at the booth. “Well, unfortunately for you, I do what I want. Now, what are we talking about, ladies?”

Madeleine growled and mumbled something under her breath, but Olivia couldn’t make it out. Kiara and Penelope shared hesitant looks, both seeking permission from Madeleine to speak. Olivia ignored their silent conversation as she realized something; even without Riley, they were still missing a suitor.

“Where’s Hana?”

“Who?” Madeleine answered, avoiding eye contact.

“Hana… Hana Lee.”

“Oh! Right! Hana!” Madeleine exclaimed after a long moment. “I extended the invitation, but unfortunately, she declined to attend.”

“Did she say why?”

“No, she didn’t.” Madeleine eyed Olivia suspiciously. “Why do you care?”

“I don’t,” Olivia snapped. “I was only making an observation, is all.”

“Humph.” Madeleine lifted her nose to the sky and crossed her arms, turning her body away from Olivia. The three women quietly spoke amongst themselves, intentionally excluding Olivia; not that she cared. The only reason she was there was because she knew it would be heavily publicized, and true to fashion, the reporters snapping photos of them inside at random moments proved her theory to be correct. Since she was absent from the first few events, she figured jumping in with this ‘intimate gathering’ would show she was going along with the ruse as well.

Throughout the night, the ladies attempted to put space between themselves and Olivia, but she would promptly follow them. Kiara seemed less off-put, even trying to converse a few times. Penelope, however, wouldn’t even make eye contact, let alone speak to Olivia. In a couple of occurrences, Olivia caught Penelope intently watching her. She quickly averted her gaze, but not before Olivia noticed, and she lost count of how many times it happened. The expression she wore each time piqued Olivia’s interest; equal parts curious and apprehensive.

The ladies bounced their way around the dancefloor most of the night. Olivia didn’t join, but stood still as a statue close by with Ray not far away, intently watching their every move. At one moment, Ray tapped her shoulder and attempted to tell her something, but Olivia couldn’t hear him over the surrounding commotion. He motioned to a side door and pulled her to it before Olivia could protest; the noble ladies slowly fading from view.

As they made it outside, Ray studied the area to secure their privacy. “What’s going on?” Olivia tentatively sought.

“I got the details on that account.”

“And?”

“We have a name.”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “I’m not in the mood for games, Harold. Spit it out.” She snapped, her patience quickly dissipating.

“Penelope Ebrim,” Ray answered with utmost confidence. However, Olivia started laughing, hard enough that tears were forming in the corner of her eyes.

“I’m serious, look.” Ray reiterated, holding his device to her. He showcased a comprehensive report on all incoming and outgoing transactions from their target and started listing them off. “Charity donation, coffee, coffee, dog food, a hefty charge to some online place called ‘American Girl Dolls’, but here, this one –” He pointed to a specific line. “– The date matches, the account numbers match, and it’s the exact amount offered in that correspondence.”

“Ho-ly shit…” Olivia gasped. Out of everyone who could have been involved, Penelope was the last person she could have suspected. “We have to question her.”

“Is she here?”

“Yeah, inside with the others.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?”

Olivia nodded, and the two took off into the crowded vicinity. They sped to the area the ladies were in when they left, but there was no sign of them. After checking there, they went back to the booth from before, only to find another party occupying it. They searched the bar, bathrooms, and anywhere else they could think of. After a while, Ray and Olivia decided they were gone and opted to leave and resume their search for Riley, intending to speak with Penelope at a later time. However, as they exited onto the street, they saw someone crawling into a taxi, and upon quick inspection realized it was Penelope.

“Penelope!” Olivia yelled. She knew Penelope heard her because she suddenly moved quicker. Olivia rushed over to stop the vehicle, but wasn’t fast enough.

The cab drove away and Olivia could see the back of all three ladies’ heads in the window. Penelope, however, was the only one who glanced through the back windshield and locked eyes with Olivia. She noticed the tears that glistened on Penelope’s cheeks in the dim streetlamp lighting, even from afar; the glistening of her running make-up sparkled as it ran down her face. Olivia wanted to believe the clueless, ditzy, poodle-obsessed Penelope couldn’t have been involved in something of this nature, but all the signs said otherwise.

The car faded into the night, leaving Olivia and Ray cemented in place on the nearly deserted street. Frustration coursed through both of their veins, as more questions seemed to pile themselves on top of the already unending list.

Regardless, they now had a name and concrete, undeniable evidence that Penelope was involved – she wouldn’t be able to deny knowing something. It wasn’t much, but it was a start to what they hoped would be the end of this never-ending spiral of madness.

All they had to do was get to Penelope and make her talk. Considering the next stop on the tour was Portavira, Olivia knew that opportunity would present itself, and soon. Penelope could run, but once the thunderous hand of her inquisitive monarch was added to the equation, she would have nowhere to hide.

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@kingliam2019 @riseandshinelittleblossom @dcbbw @tessa-liam @amandablink @cordonia-gothqueen @sfb123 @jared2612 @harleybeaumont

@bebepac @charlotteg234 @busywoman

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#the royal romance #choices the royal romance #king liam #liam rys #trr #choices trr #trr au #choices #liam x riley #ghosted #liam x mc

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bbrandy2002 · 4 years ago

Text

Fools Rush In

Part Seven

I’m participating in Wacky Drabbles prompt #57: There is no happy ending to this.

Book: The Royal Romance

Pairing: Liam x Riley

Series Premise: With two weeks until Liam is to marry Madeleine, the guys throw him a bachelor party in Vegas. After a drunk night, he finds himself with way more than he bargained.

**MC did not exist in Liam’s social season. OC lives in Las Vegas.

Word Count: 1926

TW: Drug usage, std mention, who’s the daddy, and I think thats it.

A/N: Thanks to my lovely prereaders for calming my fears and assuring me this wasn’t terrible. Also, thanks to @dcbbw for an idea she had that I was finally able to put in this.

Permanent Tags: @burnsoslow @dcbbw @ao719 @hopefulmoonobject @texaskitten30 @drakesensworld @janezillow @merridithsmiscellany-blog @mskaneko @loveellamae @queenjilian @sirbeepsalot @pedudley @caroldxnvxrs @jovialyouthmusic @forthebrokenheartedthings @desireepow-1986 @bebepac @kingliam2019 @lovablegranny @cordoniaqueensworld @amandablink @blueaster-blog1 @liamxs-world @choiceskatie @iaminlovewithtrr @hopelessromanticmonie @charlotteg234 @twinkleallnight @annekebbphotography @txemrn @thecordoniandiaries @alyssalauren @cordonianroyalty @monsoonblooms12

Series: @princessleac1 @cordonia-continued @sanchita012 @shz256 @cordonia-gothqueen @narrytheworld @graceful-leah @mom2000aggie @queenwalton @tinkie1973 @muchkoolermk @captain-kingliamsqueen @gabesmommie1130 @cordonianprincess @cinnamonspongecake @loudbluebirdlover @liamandneca @waywardromancefantasygirl @thegreentwin @walker7519 @nomadics-stuff

Their lips locked together with a pang of intense hunger and passion on a level neither had experienced before.

Liam's fingers tangled through her long dark hair that felt like ribbons of silk twisted around each one while his other palm caressed her sleek jawline.

It wasn't their first kiss or the first taste of the other. Nor was it their first touch or fiery embrace.

But it was the first one they remembered.

And every second her sweet, succulent lips were on his was like a spark igniting over and over again, shooting tingles of heat that rippled from his blazing tongue, down the ridges of his spine, and into the furthest reaches of his curled toes.

It didn't make sense to Liam—that feeling. That craving. That overwhelming desire to please and shower her with a tenderness that would clear away all the hurts and heartache. To erase that sadness he had just witnessed in her eyes.

He didn't know her, but he didn't have to. It just felt right.

Something about this woman pressing her slender body against his, melting into Liam's every hold on her while the essence of her freshly washed hair lingered in the air like a crisp spring rain, made him want to protect and care for her.

The moment she uttered her first words to him the previous day in a crowded nightclub, he sensed it. A connection that had since grown stronger. He tried to brush away that fact because Riley was a stranger he met and married during a drunken night in Las Vegas, knowing the easy thing to do was end it and marry Madeleine.

Liam didn't want to do the easy thing, though, not when he finally felt this whole. She was like the missing piece of him he never thought he'd find. It was utterly ridiculous to feel that way already. But in his arms, engaged in a passionate kiss with him, was ... his wife. Suddenly he was proud of that.

Riley's hands moved from their grip at his sides, slid up to his broad chest, gently pushed away, and broke the seal they had on each other.

Through labored breaths, his heart still pounding, he willed himself to speak "Riley. That ... was ... incredible."

Liam drew her close again, his fingertips lightly brushing across her forehead, sweeping stray hairs to the side while he searched longingly into her wanting eyes.

Riley swallowed, wanting more than anything for him to lean down again and place his tender lips against her sentient skin. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, bringing him into her closer. She shuddered as his heated breath bounced off the skin that covered her collar bone, and his hand slipped under the hem of her shirt.

It felt so damn good to have a man desire and want her after so long. But it was so much more than that; it was just Liam.

It was Liam. Which is also why she had to stop.

Riley pulled away again, leaving him to stare at her perplexed.

"What's wrong?" He asked breathlessly.

Her fingers lightly crimped and rolled the bare skin below her neck while she searched for words. What was wrong? She was incredibly attracted to Liam. He had been amazing to her since they met. And oh my God did she want him. But she couldn't shake her thoughts of those 'what if's' and self-doubts. She would never be good enough for him. In her mind, Liam deserved the best, and that wasn't her.

Riley stammered, "I ... um, need to pack." She looked around the living room, still flustered and reeling from their moment together. Tripping into tables and chairs, she let out a random nervous laugh that made Liam's eyes widen, still unsure what the hell was going on as she pranced around grabbing remotes, a vase, and drink coasters.

Liam raised his brows in bewilderment. "Riley? Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes! I'm great. Never been better." Stopping to pick up a lamp, Riley saw the look on his face, staring at the items that had piled up in her arms. She glanced down and chuckled heartily again, clearly high-strung. "What the hell am I doing? I don't need this stuff in Cordonia? Do I need this stuff in Cordonia? You probably have a ton of lamps and coasters already. Am I talking too much? I'm talking too much, aren't I? What am I even saying right now? I'm just going to leave this stuff right here, because ... you don't need them." She paused with a timid grin, then dropped the items onto the sofa with a clang, turned and shuffled out of the room.

Liam scratched the back of his head and uttered to himself, "What in the blue Bianca F. Walker was that?"

There was more to that outburst than just needing to pack, and he knew it. Riley told him she couldn't make him happy just before that kiss they shared and was seemingly projecting her feelings away from him. It was clear from that kiss that she felt the same way about him as he did her, but was letting fear grapple her heart and mind.

If she was going to Cordonia to save him, Liam decided he'd slay those barriers she built up and save her too.

But why?

Placing the stuff Riley dropped on the couch onto an end table, Liam flopped down onto the sofa. The lustrous rays of a setting sun coming through the window behind him projected a warmth on his back that matched his heart. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together.

Riley wasn't perfect and didn't pretend to be, which was refreshing compared to the women he was used to. She knew nothing about Cordonia, how to be a Queen, maybe a bit of a hot mess, and knew very little about him. How could this ever work out?

Liam sat up and propped his head on the back of the sofa, replaying those facts over and over in his mind. So many things could go wrong, he thought as he let out a heavy breath. "But, she's the one."

A half-hour later, Riley fumbled out of her room, rolling a suitcase in both hands, and a carry on bag hung crossways over her shoulder. Liam took both suitcases and assured her he would take care of anything she forgot or needed.

After loading everything in the trunk of the limo, Liam whistled for Leo, who was lying on his back in the neighbor's yard and passing a doobie to an 80-year-old man named Burt he hustled pot for.

He popped up to see his ride leaving then quickly rose to his feet. "That's my bro; I gots ta go." Leo looked down at the man with the long white beard and asked, "Anymore words of advice, Dumbledore?"

The old man stroked his beard then took a hit off his joint, blowing plumes of smoke that faded with the wind. "Never put your hand where you wouldn't put your willy, son."

Leo pondered on those words, then nodded and patted his chest with his fist. "Word."

"Take it easy, Weasley!" The man waved as Leo headed for the limo.

With everyone ready to head to the airport, the chauffeur closed the door behind Liam.

Liam had a million things he desperately wanted to discuss with Riley, mainly what he knew they both were feeling, but they were at zero hour. He had to prepare his new bride for what laid ahead and her new role as one half of a ruling monarch. Even if only a temporary one.

Reaching over his shoulder, Liam grabbed the seat belt and snapped it in place. He glanced over at Riley, who was sitting next to him, searching through her purse for Visine to clear Leo's bloodshot eyes. They were starting to scare her.

She must have felt his eyes on her because she looked back at him in time to see the beaming smile leveled at her.

"You ready, my Queen?"

Riley drew in a deep breath with a shrug; there was a hint of uncertainty, but hope was written in her eyes. "I think so ... my King."

_________________________________

Drake stared at the picture of three identical little boys who looked like they were ready to raise hell. The photo shook in his hand as the rage in his veins continued to build-up. "That fucker is dead when I see him. So help me, I'm gonna beat the living shit out of Leo."

Drake's phone buzzed in his pocket, and he took it out to read a message from Liam saying they were headed for the airport.

As he relayed the message to Maxwell, they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

Maxwell jumped up to answer it and looked through the peephole. With eyes widened, he turned and gestured with his thumb at the door and exclaimed through a loud whisper, "It's Pinquee Kittee!"

Drake stiffened then shook his head. "What the hell could she want? If she came back for more, she's shit out of luck. My hardware is fried because of that woman." He tossed his phone on the counter next to his wallet and grabbed the pharmacy bags. "I'm gonna go apply my ointment before we go. Get rid of her, Beaumont."

Maxwell nodded then waited for Drake to clear the room before he answered the door. "Miss Kittee!" he greeted with exuberance before shouting over his shoulder, conspicuously, "If you're looking for Drake, he's not here."

The gray-haired woman whose wrinkly face and sagging jawline creased even more when she scowled. Pinquee Kittee removed the cigarette dangling from her mouth and spoke with a husky voice, "I just came for my casserole dish and ..." She reached inside her tube top and held out a credit card. "To give this back to my client. I swiped it during ... the cunnilingus."

Maxwell’s hands shot to his face as he hurled a little in his throat. Taking a moment to collect himself, he grabbed the card from her hand and inspected it. "Hey, this is Liam's card."

She waved her cigarette wielding hand in front of her. "Not my beef. Now, where's my dish? It's CorningWare. Shit's pricey."

Maxwell turned and walked into the kitchen to get her dish out of the dishwasher, with her following behind.

Satisfied with her item retrieval and a whirlwind of white smoke trailing behind her as she left, Drake crept out of the bathroom a minute later and looked at Maxwell. "She gone?"

Maxwell nodded. "Yeah, she picked up her casserole dish and brought back Liam's credit card."

Puzzled, Drake cocked his head and asked, "Liam's credit card? How'd did she get that? It's in my wal ..." His eyes roamed over the kitchen bar counter frantically. "Where's my wallet? And my damn cell phone?"

They both glanced at the door at the same time, knowing she was most likely long gone by now.

Drake dropped his face into his hands. "This was supposed to be a fun trip, Max."

Maxwell frowned and clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Between the sexually transmitted diseases, a summons for child support on kids Leo most likely fathered, and now your wallet and cell phone have been stolen by your hooker, there is no happy ending to this trip for you, Drake." He pulled the handle of his luggage up. "Come on, buddy. Shuttle's waiting. Let's get you home and rest."

#Fools Rush In #liam x riley #liam x mc #king liam #king Liam x mc #liam x oc #choices liam x mc #the royal romance #choices the royal romance #trr #trr fanfic #the royal romance choices #the royal romance fanfic #bbrandy2002

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